Those people seek proximity to nature, and yet their presence and the presence of their cats and dogs can make even visually attractive fields inhospitable to birds and other wildlife. Biologist Carl Bock, whose areas of expertise include both ornithology and the ecology of grasslands, has spent several years studying that issue. Sprawl clearly affects wildlife anywhere because development destroys habitat, Bock says. Many indigenous species dwindle in number or disappear as the prairie grassland is replaced by houses and commercial development. Generally speaking, the wildlife species that survive are the ones that can adapt to the change.
Coyotes seem to be doing quite well.
They sort of like feeding on your neighbor's cat. But we don't see many black-footed ferrets. Residents of Boulder, meanwhile, like to think they are living in harmony with nature at least more so than other communities. No city in the nation has set aside more open space per capita. Development is prohibited on thousands of acres, most of which is in an agricultural belt around the city.