The human population has surpassed seven billion and continues to increase by a quarter of a million people every day. That’s 150 additional people every minute, all needing energy, water, food and space to inhabit. The inevitable and unrelenting urban expansion which results leaves precious few natural refuges for other species. No surprise then that habitat loss and degradation is the number one cause of global biodiversity loss. Yet, some versatile species – such as foxes, rats, pigeons and gulls – manage to not only survive but thrive in our artificial landscapes. Sadly, few people see these animals as triumphant vestiges of the natural world but rather unwelcome scroungers who dare to live in our midst. Toni V. Shephard notes that less and less of us are prepared to deal with ‘pests’ using the traditional method i.e. killing them, and offers her perspectives and solutions on human/wildlife conflict…