09/16/2026
Maybe wildlife isn’t the problem. Maybe we’ve simply forgotten how much space they once had.
A deer eating from your garden can feel like a nuisance.
A fox crossing your yard can seem out of place.
A raccoon getting into the trash can feel like a problem.
But look at what happened on the other side.
We cleared forests for roads, farms and houses. We replaced native habitat with lawns and parking lots. We built neighborhoods across wildlife corridors and fragmented the places animals once moved freely.
Then we leave food, pet food and garbage where wildlife can easily find it — and act surprised when they adapt to living alongside us.
That doesn’t mean every wildlife conflict should be ignored. Boundaries matter, and protecting homes and people matters too. Secure trash, fencing, wildlife-friendly landscaping and keeping food indoors can prevent many conflicts without harming the animals.
But perhaps the better question isn’t always:
“Why are they coming into our space?”
Sometimes it’s:
“How much of their space did we build over?”
Living alongside wildlife means remembering that we share the landscape with animals that were here long before our roads, houses and fences.
Sometimes coexistence begins with seeing the world from their side, too.