Indian cities are growing at an astonishing rate. By 2030, around 590 million people will live in Indian cities. The urban population in India may go beyond 50% by 2050. This urbanization will come at the cost of biodiversity as concrete structures fill up agricultural fields and forests. While most animals will be driven away by this, a few can adapt and flourish in these new settings. They are dogs, pigeons and monkeys. Why is their story important? Because they are creating a new set of urban problems.
Humans have an affinity for certain species. This is why dogs, monkeys and pigeons have always been part of our life. But in recent decades, their numbers have reached unmanageable levels in urban areas. And these growing numbers have led to a set of new challenges. To understand the magnitude of this problem let us look at each of these animals and see why their numbers are seen as a threat to an urban way of life.
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