Animal Diversity in European Cities
2025
Biodiversity Award
Winner
McGuire Biotech
Designers / Creators / Authors / Leaders
McGuire International
Urban environments are increasingly recognized for their ability to support diverse wildlife. In Ireland, a project has focused on exploring animal diversity in European urban locations, emphasizing the notable increase in feral fox populations—up to 5 to 10 times greater than in rural areas. This finding highlights the unique ecological dynamics within cities.
Preliminary data indicate that cities enriched with diverse wildlife tend to offer a better quality of life for their residents. This observation supports the notion that a healthy urban ecosystem, teeming with natural life, contributes positively to human living conditions.
Urban planning efforts now include the integration of green spaces, wildlife corridors, and nature reserves, all designed to support native fauna. The initiative also emphasizes community engagement, launching citizen science projects and educational programs to encourage local involvement in wildlife monitoring and conservation. Collaboration with local authorities has been crucial, as it ensures that urban development policies promote practices that are friendly to biodiversity.
