A study from The University of Melbourne has revealed more than 30 per cent of all threatened species are living under bright city lights.
The study found species living in artificially lit environments have lower melatonin production than species living in rural areas. This changes activity patterns for nocturnal animals which have evolved to live in dark environments.
Dr Teresa Jones said if we want to protect our wildlife in our urban areas, we need to understand their physical, behavioural and evolutionary responses.