This week’s episode of Silent Generation explores the idea that “around the world, nature is moving to cities.” The boys begin by introducing listeners to the concept of the Anthropocene and the ideas presented in Fred Pearce’s book The New Wild, both of which provide frameworks to start thinking that wild animals are not out of place in urban environments. They then talk about animals that are already accepted city dwellers (pigeons, rats, and squirrels) before talking about “wilder” animals that began moving back to cities like Chicago in the ‘90s (otters, snapping turtles, beavers, white-tailed deer, and coyotes). Amongst other things they discuss how Chicago is consistently named America’s “rattiest” city, how a rotund beaver was recently spotted on the bubbly creek branch of the Chicago River, how Chicago is home to 2,000 coyotes, and how coyotes significantly expanded their range after the 1920s due to the Anthropocene. 

Links:

Paul J. Crutzen, Nobel laureate who studied ozone and named new ‘Anthropocene’ era, dies at 87 by Harrison Smith

The New Wild: Why Invasive Species Will Be Nature's Salvation by Fred Pearce

Chicago Named ‘Rattiest City In America’ For 10th Straight Year by Mack Liederman 

Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants by Robert Sullivan

How Does Chicago Track its Coyotes? Curious City Episode 

River Otter Snapped for First Time in 15 Years of Monitoring by Lincoln Park Zoo’s Wildlife Cams by Patty Wetli

Chonk The Thicc Snapping Turtle Is A Superstar — And Great News For The Chicago River by Maia McDonald

A ‘Remarkably Rotund’ Beaver Is Making A Splash On The South Side by Leen Yasine 

White Tail Deer Population over Time

Fear the deer: Crash data illuminates America’s deadliest animal

Largest Land Predator (by weight) in Each State

How Coyotes Captured the Continent

Coyotes Among Us by Stanley D. Gehry

Coyotes Among Us’ Authors Tell Chicagoans: Respect But Don’t Fear These Smart Predators by Web Behrens

Quiznos coyote moved to another cool refuge

Coyote pulled from the cold food section of Chicago Aldi store

A new VCU study explores the ‘nature is healing’ memes that dominated social media at the height of the pandemic by Brian McNeill

Urban Forests Are the Stroads of Urban Environmental Policy Upzoned episode

The Genius of Copenhagen’s 1947 ‘Fingers Plan’ vs England’s Green Belt Policy by Johnathan Tricker

In Horner Park’s Natural Area, ‘No Dogs’ Signs Ignored, Vandalized: ‘People Don’t Really Care’ by Seth Slabaugh

The Nature of Cities blog

r/urbanwildlife

Artwork:

City bird skyline building. A pigeon sitting on a ledge overlooking a city

Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication license https://web.archive.org/web/20161229043156/https://pixabay.com/en/service/terms/

Recorded on 2/23/2025