Indy Wildlife Watch

The city environment provides a very different wildlife habitat than that of locations with less intense human influence. Urban development often causes rapid and dramatic changes to wildlife habitat that result in habitat destruction, invasive species, air and water pollution, and human-animal interactions. Yet, urban wildlife still utilizes the city as a habitat and, many times, seems to thrive despite the environmental challenges. By understanding how wildlife live and move around Indianapolis, we can gain an understanding of the effects of the urban landscape on wildlife. This knowledge can then be applied to inform the management of urban lands to benefit both humans and wildlife.

To assess wildlife diversity and distribution in Indianapolis, Butler faculty and the CUES have deployed motion-triggered cameras at city parks, forest preserves, golf courses, agricultural land, schools, and cemeteries spanning an urban-to-rural gradient from downtown Indianapolis through the northern suburbs. Cameras are deployed four times per year at more than 50 sites to determine which species are present, what types of habitats they use, and how they are distributed across the city. Follow us @IndyWildWatch on Facebook and Instagram to get the dirt on the coolest animal sightings in Indianapolis!

This project is part of the Urban Wildlife Information Network, coordinated by the Lincoln Park Zoo, Urban Wildlife Institute.

Get Involved

Butler students. This project offers students an opportunity to get involved through a for-credit academic year internship. This internship is only open to students entering their third or fourth year at Butler. For students interested in volunteering on the project, please contact Julia Angstmann.