CNN —More than half of the world’s population live in urban areas where nature can feel like a distant concern. Thriving ecosystems do, however, exist within our cities — even beneath our feet — and embracing urban nature can be a powerful force for change. Cape Town’s baboons can often be found rummaging through garbage cans and around backyards, putting them at greater risk of conflict with humans. Easy access to food from Cape Town’s trash means baboons spend less time and energy foraging, and more on socializing with potential mates and the rest of their group. The city has begun taking proactive measures to keep them away from Cape Town’s outskirts and in their natural hillside habitat.

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Persons: CNN —, Corey Arnold, denning, Lawrence Hylton, Neil Zeller, Gizem, Harvard University’s, Mary Cleave, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Southern, DreamWorks, Gizem Gumuskaya Tufts University Scientists, Tufts University, Harvard, Harvard University’s Wyss, NASA, Challenger, Tasmanian, CNN Space, Science Locations: West London, city’s, Cape Town , South Africa, backyards, Cape Town’s, California, Hong, New Territories, Shing Mun, Canadian, Guatemala