City life makes lizards more social and friendly

Cities often seem like difficult places for wildlife. Noise, traffic, and concrete surfaces leave little room for nature. Yet some animals not only survive but also develop surprising traits. A recent study reveals how common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) thrive socially in urban landscapes.

The researchers discovered that these reptiles build stronger relationships in cities compared to their countryside counterparts. The team, led by Avery Maune of Bielefeld University, studied lizard populations in Croatia. The outcome was striking.

“Wall lizards in cities maintain many more contacts and develop stronger bonds than their counterparts in natural habitats,” said Maune. “That is remarkable because these lizards are usually highly territorial and tend to avoid one another.”

Concrete spaces push cooperation

To trace these unusual social patterns, the scientists used social network analysis, a tool often employed in behavioral research.

The analysis showed that lizards in cities formed more connections, spent more time in proximity, and gathered in groups more often.

The researchers believe city layouts play a central role. Sealed surfaces, limited hiding spots, and uneven resource distribution push the lizards into closer contact. In such spaces, tolerance toward neighbors becomes a survival necessity.

Lizards turn rivals into neighbors

For the study team, this is more than a curiosity. “The ability to develop new social strategies could be crucial for species to persist in urban environments,” said Maune.

The findings raise questions beyond lizards. Many species now live at the edges of cities or within them. Birds nest in high-rises, foxes patrol streets, and insects thrive in gardens or cracks in the pavement. Each faces the challenge of adjusting natural instincts to artificial surroundings.

The wall lizard study provides a clear example of how behavior can shift rapidly in response to urban pressures. Such results also remind researchers that animals are not passive victims of human expansion. Instead, some species respond with creativity, learning new ways to interact.

For lizards, this means turning former rivals into neighbors. For other animals, it might mean changing hunting, foraging, or nesting habits.

Wildlife adapts to human spaces

Understanding these changes has practical value. City planning often overlooks wildlife, yet research like this suggests design choices affect more than just humans.

The distribution of green spaces, the placement of walls or parks, and the management of waste all shape how animals interact. If animals can adapt, scientists argue that we too can design environments that reduce conflict and allow coexistence.

The study also feeds into conservation discussions. Traditional approaches often focus on preserving untouched habitats. But since urbanization continues worldwide, researchers argue that studying adaptation is equally critical.

Lizards thriving in cities highlight resilience, but they also reveal dependence on specific features of urban design.

Humans and lizards share pressures

The research connects to evolutionary ideas, showing how new challenges can shape survival strategies. For lizards, greater social tolerance may help secure food and shelter, and over generations these behaviors could influence evolutionary pathways – producing urban populations that diverge from their rural relatives.

There is also a human parallel. Like lizards, people adjust to crowded city life by forming communities, building networks, and relying on cooperation.

Observing animals on a similar path highlights the shared pressures of urban living, where both wildlife and humans learn to thrive despite limited space and constant competition.

Survival thrives through social bonds

The study also connects with the Collaborative Research Center NC³ (Niche Choice, Niche Conformance, Niche Construction). The consortium investigates how animals create and adapt to niches in response to environmental pressures.

The wall lizard’s story illustrates how life persists, even against the odds of steel, glass, and concrete.

By examining their behavior, scientists gain insights into the wider puzzle of survival in human-shaped landscapes. Ultimately, this study reveals that the boundary between natural and artificial worlds is not rigid but alive with adaptation and possibility.

The project involved scientists from multiple institutions, including Bielefeld University, the University of Zagreb, and Collegium Helveticum in Zürich. The international collaboration highlights how behavioral flexibility may secure survival in ever-changing environments.

The study is published in the journal Biology Letters.

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