I first noted the book because of the “tracking rats” part of the title, but when I began reading it I realized Dr. Cylita Guy’s new book Chasing Bats and Tracking Rats : Urban Ecology, Community Science, and How We Share Our Cities is more than what it seems. Cylita has written about how eight different researchers go about conducting their research along with how they themselves, as individuals, some as BIPOC scientists, interact with and encounter their work.
There are stories of late night encounters with the police, and of a scientist observing birds in park being asked to leave because other park goers were “uncomfortable” likely because the scientist was a Black woman. There are stories of urban ecology researchers that reflect the urban human population dynamics which, in some ways, are comparable to the wilds they work to understand. Microplastic pollution effects on urban animals, studying bees in cities to better understand climate change, looking at how bats interact with parklands in built up environments. Human created landscapes are wild and full of wonder. Life blooms everywhere and within these pages I read the stories of the broad ecologies which I am not only witness to, but also apart of.
Oh.. we also talk about Bats… which is pretty cool.
More information :
Dr. Cylita Guy’s website.
Chasing Bats and Tracking Rats : Urban Ecology, Community Science, and How We Share Our Cities : information on the book