Fall Valley Talk on “Wildlife in the City

Friends of the Wissahickon Presents Fall Valley Talk on “Wildlife in the City:

Exploring Philadelphia’s Urban Nature Through Trail Cameras” – November 11

PHILADELPHIA—October 20, 2026 – Join Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) on Wednesday, November 11, when wildlife ecologist Julie C. Ellis, Ph.D., introduces the Accessing Urban Nature Initiative (AUNI), a new Penn Vet project using a network of motion-activated trail cameras across Philadelphia to explore its diverse urban wildlife. Presented by Univest Financial, the free public event takes place from 6-7:30 p.m. in person at the Valley Green Inn and online on Zoom. Registration is required.

In this second Valley Talk of the fall season, Dr. Ellis’ AUNI team, in partnership with the Urban Wildlife Information Network (UWIN), is documenting which species live in the city and how their activity might be influenced by habitat, development, and urban heat. AUNI and its partners, including FOW, are collaborating to spark curiosity about urban wildlife, foster connections with nature, and encourage local stewardship. Join Julie to discover what trail cameras are revealing about the wild neighbors sharing our city—and how understanding and appreciating urban nature can help create healthier, more wildlife-friendly communities.

For more than 20 years, Dr. Ellis has developed and led programs that advance wildlife health and conservation through partnerships across academic institutions, government agencies, and communities. Her work includes co-founding Penn Vet’s Wildlife Futures Program, a major partnership with the Pennsylvania Game Commission focused on wildlife health and emerging diseases. She is currently associate director of One Health at Penn Vet, where she connects human, animal, and environmental health through collaborative research and community engagement.

For more information and to register, click here.