Recent sightings of coyotes in the botanical garden where I work reminds me of the adaptability of many common wildlife species. Species that are generalists and opportunists (in terms of their ecology) thrive in the disturbed landscapes of our suburban, exurban, and rural landscapes (not to mention the truly urban environments of our cities).
These are the animals that inhabit our parks, backyards, and gardens: Eastern gray squirrels, woodchucks, American robins, Carolina wrens, opossums, raccoons, Northern cardinals, tufted titmice, etc., etc. They're interesting and well worth watching.
But, it's also important to protect specialist species whose adaptations, food preferences (or soil requirements) depend on a very specific sort of habitat. And, there are plenty of species that are in between specialist and generalist in their 'strategy' (ecologically-speaking).
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