Abstract
This article presents the results of a comparative study of two Polish cities, Krakow and Lublin, in terms of the presence of wild and free-living animals in them, as well as the problems and challenges involved. The topics investigated included biodiversity and synurbisation, as well as residents’ perceptions of wild animals, based on a pilot survey. Evidently positive attitudes toward the presence of free-living animals in the housing environment and support for city government policies on animal protection were observed. Based on an analysis of urban structures, the urban conditions conducive to the persistence of wild animals in cities were identified. Urban policies for managing biodiversity and free-living animals were also analysed.