I Have a Safari Park

"City animals?"

Fang Ye explained: "Well, like we are preparing a farmland exhibition area recently, so that tourists can understand the ecosystem in the farmland, know where their food comes from, and how to grow the food that is healthy and friendly to the environment. These are the contents. I also plan to build a corresponding urban animal exhibition area later, and the theme is probably how humans and animals coexist, can you provide some examples of this?"

Wang Yan nodded in understanding, pondered for a moment and said, "City animals are very interesting, and they are completely different from wild animals in the countryside. I remember a trip to Chicago about six or seven years ago. I lived near the Botanical Garden. My friend said excitedly, you might see 1242 if you live here."

"1242?"

"1242 was a coyote, a Coyote, I saw him on the first night I was there.

He walked past a construction site with lights on and warnings flashing, but 1242 looked very relaxed and seemed to be perfectly adapted to the urban environment.

But soon we began to see him during the day, and I was very puzzled. The staff in Chicago said seriously to me, Wang, you came at a good time, maybe we are witnessing the occurrence of the coyote represented by 1242. A new change, from nocturnal to diurnal.

Because 1242's spouse, 1244, was shot and killed by a resident when he broke into a resident's backyard two weeks ago. But 1242 and 1244 are raising a litter of offspring together, and relying on him alone cannot provide food for the coyotes.

So he not only went out to hunt for food at night, but also began to come out during the day, and we just witnessed this rapid change in the past few days.

Then we tracked the coyote from the video and data of this researcher, and found that the coyote will watch the traffic lights in the city. He knows that when the pedestrian crossing turns green, it is safe to pass, and he can swagger to pass in front of the car. Know where there is danger, where there is food, and what kind of dogs can and can't.

The staff just told us that we are forever underestimating the ability of coyotes to adapt to the city. Coyotes are constantly refreshing our knowledge.

There is a long and narrow green belt around the lake along Lake Michigan, and he can run through the entire city along the green belt around the lake, and then continue to penetrate into the city center in a greener and safer place.

About 20 years ago, there were no coyotes in Chicago, but when I went there, there were more than 1,200 coyotes in this forest, and their range was expanding.

They will use public transport, appear to be united, and are very vicious towards their prey, but their discipline is to not hurt people.

Where people used to think coyotes didn't exist and couldn't stay, they've arrived.

In the past, people thought that coyotes lived alone, but now there is a special behavior, that is, the little coyote has not found a large area of ​​habitat. Parents will allow it to live with them and provide a little help, and siblings will not. It spreads out quickly, and there is a stage of solidarity and cooperation. "

Fang Ye was very interesting to hear: "So after the coyotes entered the city, their behavior changed rapidly with the city to adapt to the life of the city."

Wang Yan took a sip of water: "Yes, not only behavior, but even physiology will change. There is an interesting study on foxes in the UK this year. They found that red foxes living in British cities have turned themselves into dogs."

Fang Ye was a little confused: "What does it mean to be a dog?"

Wang Yan said with a smile: "That is to say, the size of the red fox is getting smaller, and there is a gap in the size of male and female foxes. Male foxes are stronger and more aggressive. But in the city, male and female foxes have already grown in size. It's hard to tell.

The pointed fox ears have turned into round ears, and even drooped downwards, which is similar to the appearance of dogs, and their size and aggression are declining.

The sharp beak of the fox itself is for prey, but in the city, it gradually becomes a short round mouth, which looks more cute and is more suitable for picking up garbage and human food. "

Fang Ye's heart shook when he heard it: "It's incredible, the speed of evolution is too fast."

Wang Yandao: "Yes, once animals adapt to urban life, there will be a very rapid evolution.

There is also a study on black-lined voles like the previous two years. Originally, researchers thought that voles lived in cities. There may be so many cats, lights, and all kinds of cars coming and going, and their living conditions may not be very good. , is a very tense state.

However, the actual study found that the voles actually lived very comfortably and were very relaxed, and their stress hormone, the stress hormone, was significantly lower than that of the voles in the field.

If you give a field vole a poke, or give a slight electric shock, it will panic very much, eat and sleep, and the rhythm of life will be affected, but the city vole doesn't matter, you can just poke it, what should I do?

Its immune system, endocrine, hormone regulation, and response to external stimuli have all become more resilient due to changes in urban life. "

Fang Ye heard a familiar feeling, and said with some amusing: "Isn't this the current lying flat? It's better to live a little more relaxed than to work hard."

Wang Yan also smiled: "There are indeed many similarities. This is also an adaptation of human beings."

Fang Ye said seriously: "Like coyotes and red foxes, you are talking about them adapting to the city and changing themselves to adapt to the city. Are there any positive things that we humans can take the initiative to make changes?"

Wang Yan showed some emotion: "The monarch butterfly is an example that I am more impressed by."

Fang Ye raised his eyebrows and said, "Oh, Monarch Butterfly!"

The monarch butterfly is probably the most famous butterfly in the world!

The black wings and orange wings are not only beautiful in appearance, but also very spectacular when migrating, which can be said to be overwhelming. When I was a child, I saw monarch butterflies in documentaries a lot.

Wang Yan said: "Americans especially like monarch butterflies, they like to raise monarch butterflies and watch them, but in the past 20 years, the population of monarch butterflies has dropped by 80%, the number has dropped sharply, and monarch butterflies are directly vulnerable. Even on the verge of being endangered, according to this trend, it may become extinct within a few decades."

Fang Ye couldn't help but sighed slightly.

"It turns out that the reasons for their dramatic decline, in addition to rising temperatures, habitat destruction, and heavy use of pesticides, herbicides, and this US government's inaction along the highways.

But pushing the government, pushing this transportation sector, getting them to set up laws and regulations on pesticides and herbicides, it's going to be hard to make that kind of change. "