Emerging Challenges and Opportunities in Human-Animal Coexistence Within Rapidly Urbanizing Regions

Abstract

Natural habitats are being rapidly transformed by the process of urbanization, increasing the intensity of human-wildlife interaction, and generating what is almost a "messy mix" of ecological, social and public health issues. Anticipating the challenges of urban wildlife, such as increased encounters, changed behavior, habitat fragmentation, and loss of biodiversity, it is essential that sustainable strategies are developed to deal with coexistence. The paper aimed to highlight the new challenges and opportunities of human-animal coexistence in the context of the rapid urbanization of the regions, through the synthesis of recent advances in urban ecology, environmental planning, artificial intelligence and smart city technologies. It covers the impacts of land-use change, habitat fragmentation, adaptation of urban wildlife and socio-ecological dynamics on the outcomes of coexistence. In addition, the study assesses technological innovations, such as Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, sensors from the Internet of Things, Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing, for the purposes of wildlife monitoring, conflict prediction, the assessment of ecological connectivity and for evidence-based urban planning. The need for a framework supporting co-existence of multiple environmental sources, intelligent detection of wildlife, predictive analytics and policy-based decision support is proposed to optimize biodiversity conservation while simultaneously improving public safety and ecosystem resilience. The proposed approach is adaptive governance, the One Health principle, and sustainable urban development using data for conservation planning. The review identifies key research areas for future research focusing on interdisciplinary approaches, resilient infrastructure, ecological connectivity, and intelligent technologies to promote long-term, sustainable and equitable human-animal interactions in growing cities.