Dr. Dan Werb: Animals in the City
About this episode
Therese Markow and Dr. Dan Werb discuss the hidden world of synanthropes and their adaptation to urban environments.
Our cities are anything but concrete jungles. Listen in as Therese Markow and Dr. Dan Werb reveal the hidden world of synanthropes - the wild animals that not only live alongside us, but thrive because of us. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Dan Werb discuss Dan's new book "Our Wild Familiars", which explores how animals (and plants) adapt to urban environments. They dive into the history and impact of synanthropes, such as raccoons, coyotes, and rats. He also highlights the adaptability of these animals and why they have expanded into cities. Dr. Werb emphasizes the importance of viewing cities as living, thriving ecosystems and the need for human ecosystem-based solutions for the good of humans and animals alike in these ecosystems. Key Takeaways: Humanity has a much higher risk of experiencing viral spillover events now than before, because we are increasingly intersecting with wild animals that we have never seen before in urban spaces that carry pathogens that we've never been exposed to before. As humans, we have a relationship with synanthropes that is so deep and long-standing that it has become central to our spiritual selves as well. With more small animals being…
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