This special America250 event explores the wild side of America’s urban environments.
Thinking that wildlife lives “somewhere else” is an easy mistake. National Geographic Explorer Dr. Christopher J. Schell has dedicated his work to understanding and celebrating the surprising wildlife in our backyards. But this show isn’t only an exploration of animal behavior. We go on assignment with Schell to discover the unexpected story of how American history has shaped urban wildlife.
A Los Angeles native, Schell is an urban ecologist, professor, Afrofuturist, father, and author whose work blends ecology, justice, and public health to reimagine more resilient cities. His research explores how carnivores like coyotes, foxes, and raccoons adapt to city life, and he investigates how structural inequities shape human-wildlife interactions and urban ecosystems. He teaches at UC Berkeley and has been featured in The New York Times, Vox, and PBS.