Synanthropes Are Wild Animals That Thrive Near Humans

Here’s a word I learned this week and I really like it. It’s synanthrope, that’s s-y-n-a-n-t-h-r-o-p-e.

And you might be able to guess from the Greek roots there, sin meaning together and then the anthrope, meaning human.

Human, yeah.

Yeah, synanthropes are animals that aren’t pets, but that live and thrive close to humans, like pigeons and raccoons and rats.

It’s not that common a word, but it’s been around since the 1940s.

And the reason I learned that word is because I was reading about something called the synanthrope preserve, and it’s an audio tour of New York City that encourages listeners to see that place as a habitat for both human and animal residents.

It’s the work of artist Gal Nassim and experienced designer Jessica Scott Dutcher.

And you can listen to these audio tours at sinpreserve.com.

That’s s-y-n-p-r-e-s-e-r-v-e.com, sinpreserve.

I listened to some of it, even though I wasn’t walking around New York City.

And it was just a really interesting way of looking at these animals whose habitat we share.

Instead of thinking as a human space, think of it as an animal space, right?

Yeah.

So you’re the interloper instead of them being the interloper.

Yes, exactly.

Exactly.

Yeah, and most human spaces are like that.

Even here in San Diego, I encounter foxes and skunks and possums in my yard and rats and mice and feral cats.

Oh, yeah.

Gophers and all kinds of things.

Yeah, we’re on a canyon, and we run into coyotes all the time.

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