In a city like Washington, DC, people and wildlife share the same spaces. Turtles cross roads searching for places to lay their eggs, young birds hop along sidewalks while their parents watch nearby, and squirrels build nests in our trees. Most of the time, these encounters are a natural part of urban life but when we don’t understand what animals are doing, well-intentioned people can accidentally cause harm.
Many of the animals admitted to City Wildlife are injured not because people don’t care, but because they don’t yet understand wildlife behavior. Fledgling birds are “rescued” when they should have been left with their parents, turtles are moved in the wrong direction, and healthy baby animals are picked up when they weren’t actually orphaned.
Education is one of the most powerful ways to reduce human-wildlife conflict. Children are naturally curious about the world around them. When we encourage that curiosity — asking them to observe wildlife in their neighborhoods and understand animal behavior — we help build empathy and a deeper connection with nature. This is why we are developing a new pilot project, City Wildlife in collaboration with DC Public Schools (DCPS). Our goal is to bring urban wildlife education into the classroom, helping students learn about the animals living right outside their doors. Through stories from our wildlife center and simple observation-based learning, students will explore how animals survive in a busy city and how small actions by people can help wildlife thrive.
Urban wildlife conservation doesn’t only happen in distant forests or national parks. It happens here in our parks, neighborhoods, and schoolyards. And it often begins with something very simple: helping a child notice, ask questions, and become curious about the wildlife sharing their world.
If you know a teacher or school that might be interested in participating, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out to us at info@citywildlife.org
