Our Wild Familiars: How Animals Are Adapting to Cities and Reshaping the Natural World

by Dan Werb

Synanthropes have always been an immutable part of the tapestry of our lives. They are the reason we hear birdsong in the morning and skittering throughout the day, and why we take such pains to fix lids to our garbage cans. But they are so much more than that, epidemic vectors, churners of soil, ecosystem evolvers, spiritual lodestars, and, sometimes, sharp-toothed marauders making their way through our most intimate spaces with cruel intent. But beyond their quotidian impact on our lives, synanthropes have a critical part to play in how our communities are shaped and how sustainably they function. These creatures are ambassadors from nature, arbiters of our planet’s future, and a key influence on our species’ ongoing evolution; and recently, something essential has shifted with them.

We are in a fraught era of environmental disruption, habitat destruction, and human population expansion that is ravaging formerly wild and untouched habitats. That’s caused us to become ever more inundated with synanthropes, which are bringing delight, chaos and danger to our doorstep. These species, so long dismissed, are forcing us to reckon with them—from the hundreds of thousands of raccoons in urban spaces that spread our refuse no matter how many "raccoon-proof" bags and bins we invent, to the invasive kudzu plants that grow a foot a day, enveloping houses, telephone poles, trees, and any other structures into their green abyss. Now, as urban spaces increasingly become wild spaces, we have a continue to resist them by any means necessary, or take the opportunity to promote a more harmonious coexistence.

Through vivid storytelling, Our Wild Familiars brings to spectacular life the world’s most successful synanthropes, from bats, raccoons, and crows, to some of its weirdest, including the Giant Pacific Octopus. Acting as a guide to the curious, Werb reveals how the cracks in our millennia-long efforts to shield ourselves against the outside world might just lead us to a new and necessary balance with nature—or to an ever more savage future.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Nature, Science, Audiobook, Environment, Adventure

336 pages, Hardcover

Published July 14, 2026

Reviews

[Lindsay Cook]

🐀🐿️🦊🦝🐐🦇🐧🦑… I know I’m missing some of these synanthropes

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author and scientist Dan Werb takes us into the world of synanthropes (new word for me!): animals and plants that have found a way to survive and often thrive in urban human communities. He discusses the history of synanthropes (they’ve been around since humanoids began gathering in small clusters) and the future, and how we humans should rethink how to live side by side with them.

My favourite chapters were the ones that studied particular animals that have made cities their homes. Seeing that I live on the edge of Toronto, my absolute favourite just had to be the chapter on raccoons seeing that we are known as the raccoon capital of the world. These wily guys drive many Toronto citizens nuts, so it was fascinating to read exactly how they’ve adapted so well and to learn how intelligent they are (more intelligent than rural raccoons!). Just how did they figure out so quickly how to open those “raccoon proof” compost bins that the city distributed so confidently a few years ago? Raccoons have laughed in our faces when we think we’ve outsmarted them. Who needs an opposable thumb? Not a raccoon!

The chapters covered animals such as bats, the Giant Pacific octopus, NYC rats (their constant evolution is fascinating!), tigers... and so many more. So much to learn about how they’ve adapted and how we have to learn to adapt and share our space with them.

This is a very “readable” non-fiction science book and a must-read for anyone who lives in an urban setting and wants to learn more about striking the balance with nature and why our future depends on it.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot about animals, but this eye-opening book tackles something I’d never heard of, synanthropes. There are pets and wild creatures, but what about the ones in between? Those who live in proximity to humans and have adapted to urban environments who are somewhat still wild and undomesticated? Werb’s book explores how they are now something different. Cities have influenced not just their behavior, but also even their physiology. Some parts are heartbreaking because they deal with the conflicts, violence and death that necessarily happen when these two worlds coexist. Unlike other books, Werb doesn’t take an absolute path of eliminating all threats, or choosing non-human animals over people, but a third option: adapting urban centers to welcome all residents and eliminating zones where conflict may arise. Raccoons, bats, octopuses and rats are amongst the species studied here. My favorite part is about baboons living in apparent harmony with feral dogs, and how their mutual relationship has evolved. I was dumbfounded. The writing is approachable and easy to read, and I’ve been talking about this book to anyone who will listen. Highly recommended.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Crown Publishing.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fascinating and well-researched book explores the significant role of synanthropes—wild creatures who live alongside humans—in our lives and ecosystems. It highlights how these species act as indicators of environmental change and influence our planet's future.

The book has more depth than breadth, covering a few species in detail, which is not quite what I expected. I was a little disappointed that so much of the book focused on how animal colonies thrive (often to the point of becoming pests) by eating human garbage.

I think, honestly, the book was addressing two different issues—how animals adapt to human-made environments (e.g., the sections on racoons and the giant Pacific octopus), and how humans can mitigate the imbalances we've created (e.g., the sections on kudzu and baboons). While both are interesting, I kind of wish they'd been two separate books, so both topics could have been explored more broadly. Still, it's an engrossing read that should appeal to anyone interested in ecology and how humans can coexist with the natural world.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Ashley Epp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley for an ARC!

I am not, not, not a nonfiction person but have been pushing myself out of my boundaries lately. I pick up a nonfiction book and maybe read a chapter a day, but truly it takes forever. But not with this book I devoured it! I love all the fun facts I have bouncing around now. The breaking it up into interconnected sections really helped it stay fast paced but also didn't jar me with new topics every chapter.
Some favourite fun facts and quotes were:
- Rats evolved to tolerate warfarin which is insane!
- "Gossip is a dagger that destroys: it’s also the glue that holds gazes together"
- If a bat sings a different song than another, they wont mate.
- Often orcas expect their first baby to die because they offload half of your toxins everytime they have a kid, imagine the consequences of this for how humans work and have kids!

I am so looking forward to recommending this to nonfiction friends, and fellow ecology/biology teachers!

[Luv2TrvlLuvBks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orcas donning salmon heads as headgear? Baboons straddling dogs akin to a horse and rider?

If these mental images are met with a resounding, "What the...?", then this book is for you.

The author's writing style engages the reader by interspersing interviews with noted scientists and others with his analysis. However, the conversational tone he uses coupled with providing tangible points of reference (ie. sounds most people hear, things most people envision) make this read relatable. It's one of those reads that challenges the mind, leaving the reader in awe at the ingenuity of animals.

Found this read to be on par with Ed Yong's "An Immense World", Susan Orleans "On Animals", and Mary Roach's "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law".

"Raccoons, Bats and Baboons, oh my". Truly, an exceptional read.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, Crown Publishing | Crown via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#OurWildFamiliars #NetGalley

[Danelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a fascinating premise, the fact that wild animals like raccoons, octopuses and baboons are thriving in cities and urban environments.

The author does a great job of making science approachable without oversimplifying it. I especially loved the individual stories about different species -- the Giant Pacific Octopus was my favorite. I definitely came away looking at my own neighborhood wildlife a little differently, especially living in a city where elk, bear, bald eagle, fox and cougar sightings are not uncommon.

However, the book felt quite repetitive to me, with each chapter being very similar to the next, but featuring a different animal, so I struggled to maintain interest and momentum throughout the book. Overall an interesting topic but the presentation was a bit too slow for me.

3.5 stars

[Christine Craft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Wild Familiars was a fascinating and informative read. I forgot that wild animals that learned to adapt in human communities are called synanthropes. This was such an interesting read with fun facts and scientific insight. It’s also an engaging and well-written book. My favorite part was about the raccoons since I love those trash pandas so much despite their flaws.

Overall, this book has deepened my understanding of synanthropes and their importance within our ecosystem. I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC(advanced reader copy) in return for an honest review

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so fun and interesting. My favorite part was the section on NYC rats. They've always fascinated me and at least I know now I'm not alone! (If anything, the author and I are kindred spirits.) Who knew they were evolving so fast, as their teeth are now able to eat pizza since it's become such a regular part of their diet, and evolved into different species within the island of Manhattan?! "Uptown" rats and "downtown" rats!

It was also wild to hear about the free-roaming baboons of Saudi Arabia. Never would I have ever guessed those would be wandering the streets (or sands).

[Dana Goldstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic information on every page. I am a huge consumer of science books written for the average non-scientific mind. The science in Our Wild Familiars was so easy to understand and woven seamlessly into the narrative. Excellent storytelling without info dumping.

If you are curious to know why wildlife appears to be more prolific in your city or your neighborhood, this is 100% the book to read.

[Celia Chang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how this story was told in an engaging, but still easy to understand way. Some non-fiction science books can be hard to follow sometimes, but this book was very understandable. I definitely felt for some of the synanthropes described in the stories he described, and learned more about the way they are adapting to the growing modern world. I was expecting a little more though, in terms of what can be done and how critical a problem this is becoming.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our Wild Familiars was a really informative read. I’m not usually one to read non-fiction, but this sucked me in from the first few pages. I learned so much and I developed a new perspective on the relationship between humans and wildlife. It’s amazing how adaptive animals are and it gave me a new appreciation of some of these amazing species. Highly recommend!

[REBECCA LARISSA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful, funny, insightful, and eye-opening. This book not only changes our relationship with the wild world around us, but it also connects us to the animals right outside our door (or in our garbage cans), and for me, I have a new respect for them. Not a bad thing, as they are here to stay. As an animal lover, this is a gentle reminder that we humans may not run the world after all.

[Margie]

See author interview, Los Angeles Times Book Club, 7/25/2026.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5. Engagingly written.

[K&E_getlit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting prose this beautiful and philosophic musings this deep in a non-fiction book about animals living in cities but wow! One of the most enlightening and clear-eyed views toward the future that I have ever encountered. At first I was a little thrown by the way we bounced around between animals and stories (I was expecting something more linear) but by the end I was totally enthralled and wanted MORE! Excited to keep an eye on this author and definitely will check out Invisible Siege.