- 7 weeks ago
Explores the wildlife of his London hometown, from urban deer to rooftop peregrines and many others, revealing how nature thrives in ..
影片带领观众探索英国首都隐而不显的自然奇观，揭示都市鹿群、楼顶游隼等野生动植物如何在世界上最绿色的国际大都市中蓬勃繁衍...
影片带领观众探索英国首都隐而不显的自然奇观，揭示都市鹿群、楼顶游隼等野生动植物如何在世界上最绿色的国际大都市中蓬勃繁衍...
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AnimalsTranscript
00:01Good evening, sir. Where to?
00:03Richmond, please.
00:05Richmond it is.
00:18Throughout my life, I've had the good fortune to travel the world,
00:23witnessing many great natural spectacles.
00:28But this is the place to which I've always returned.
00:34A sprawling megacity may seem no home for a nature lover like me,
00:40but there is a wild side to London.
00:44My city is surprisingly alive with all sorts of animals
00:52and full of remarkable natural spectacles.
01:00Even in the centre of town, animals can not only survive, but flourish.
01:12Over the years, I've come to appreciate what I find on my own doorstep.
01:21So, when it comes to discovering the wonders of nature, there really is no place like home.
01:32This is it. Thank you very much.
01:44London.
01:49London.
01:509 million people, 2 and a half million cars, and 600 square miles of concrete, tarmac and steel.
02:05But the city has a surprisingly rich wildlife.
02:10And my journey begins between an unassuming row of houses in North Melbourne.
02:17London.
02:17London.
02:18London.
02:19I've come to this allotment in Tottenham to meet a notoriously elusive resident.
02:26It's now around 8.30 in the evening, and if all goes to plan, they should show up any minute
02:33now.
02:39Oh, here we are. Hello.
02:46That is another one, too.
02:54Even though there are more wild foxes in London than almost any other big city,
03:01it's still a huge thrill to see one suddenly emerging from the bushes.
03:08Totally wild creature.
03:17Hello.
03:31An encounter like this feels very special.
03:36But in London, you're usually far closer to a fox than you might think.
03:44These cunning creatures are experts at operating under our radar.
03:51Through stealth, adaptability, and an appetite for almost any food,
04:02foxes thrive in surprisingly high densities.
04:06In the open countryside, there are one or two per square kilometre.
04:12In London, there can be 30.
04:19So their biggest challenge is competition with one another.
04:26This vixen has secured a prime territory in Tottenham with plenty of options for food.
04:42But another female is sniffing around her patch.
04:48It's the breeding season, and the demand for territories is intense.
04:58If she's to keep her home, she'll have to fight.
05:20These battle cries may be a familiar sound, but few of us get to witness fights as fierce as this.
05:36Neither individual can afford injury, so they try to intimidate her.
05:43They try to kill her.
05:54Finally, her rival submits.
06:00The better the territory a female attains, the greater will be her success as a mother.
06:09Even so, she'll need help.
06:14A call from her mate.
06:18Time to regroup.
06:30In the allotment at the heart of their territory, they steal a moment together.
06:37Raising a family in the city will depend on the strength of their bond.
06:48In this highly urbanized environment, the only animals that flourish are those who know how to work the system.
07:02Like most Londoners, I used to get the tube to work, and there was one animal that always brightened up
07:09my day.
07:15Hammersmith Station.
07:16An excellent breakfast spot for peckish pigeons.
07:25Once this platform is cleared of food, it's on to the next station.
07:33And why waste energy flying when you can travel by tune?
07:40This plane is ready to leave.
07:43Please mind the door.
07:49Pigeons probably first hopped onto trains following trails of crumbs dropped by commuters.
07:57Getting home is no problem either.
08:02Pigeons use the sun and magnetic fields to find their way.
08:07In urban areas, they also use landmarks, roads, and even train lines.
08:16However, it's the ability to rub along with us humans that makes them so good at navigating London life.
08:25Find the gap between the train and the plant.
08:30Pigeons are so streetwise, they can thrive right in the city centre.
08:37But they're not alone.
08:46passing out of averages while acknowledging its fruitful solutions.
08:47As an obstacle to the Pigeons and rajos shelters, they can thrive out in the city centre.
08:47quê Заи Peregrine falcones.
08:52Towering buildings are a good substitute for
08:55their natural cliff habitat.
09:05They're excellently adapted to soar amongst London's concrete canyons.
09:12And there are one million of their favourite prey.
09:20Pellegrines are agile pursuit hunters, and here they need to be.
09:30Maneuvering through London's skies is challenging, and pigeons use it to their advantage.
09:57But for the world's fastest animal, there's plenty of opportunity to make a killing in
10:04the city.
10:07At Charing Cross Hospital, these new parents face a daunting feeding schedule.
10:18Working a relentless relay, they take turns fetching lunch and babysitting, trying to keep
10:29up with their chicks' insatiable appetites.
10:32The chicks need to grow 25 times bigger before they fledge.
10:58There are now over 50 pairs of peregrines nesting in London.
11:04From hospitals, to factories by the Thames, and even here, on the Houses of Parliament.
11:19This pair have nested among these spires for ten years.
11:25Their latest chicks are four weeks old, and it's time to check on their progress.
11:37There we are.
11:39There we are.
11:41There we are.
11:43There we are.
11:57Even so, chicks like this little one are still rare and precious, and the ring that we're
12:04putting on it now will help us follow it as it seeks its fortune in the big city.
12:11There we are.
12:12So now we can recognise you anywhere.
12:16Yes.
12:17Yes, you.
12:20London's peregrines are now doing well, thanks to our help.
12:26Meanwhile, others need no encouragement at all.
12:34Dawn in Harald Hill, on the eastern edge of the capital.
12:41The scene is set for an invasion.
12:56Fallow deer.
13:02Before the pandemic, only a few would brave the city.
13:06But when the streets fell quiet, they came as a herd.
13:18Once they acquired the taste for it, the habit stuck.
13:29Now, even prized roses aren't safe.
13:40Fallow deer were first introduced to Britain by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago.
13:48And in East London, their numbers continue to grow.
14:02When the human world wakes, the herd heads back to the park.
14:15This female is in a hurry.
14:18She has a secret in the woods.
14:39Her fawn is just a few days old.
14:45She hides it among the trees to keep it safe.
15:01Willows may no longer be a threat in London.
15:05But hundreds of thousands of their relatives can be.
15:19Every year, dogs kill fawns hiding in the undergrowth.
15:41As the thread gets closer, the female seems to abandon her thorn.
15:56But she's trying to draw attention away from it.
16:06All he needs to do is stay as still as possible.
16:36Animals must rely on their basic instincts to keep their families safe.
16:42Even in this modern world.
16:50Back in Tottenham, the allotment is an excellent place to meet the female fox's growing needs.
17:09Five new mouths to feed.
17:23For now, the cubs will stay close to the den.
17:28Tucked away from traffic and other dangers, London's 40,000 vegetable plots provide a sanctuary for wildlife and a good
17:37place to raise a family.
17:41A few weeks later and the female is now fully focused on securing enough food.
17:51Many people see foxes just as scavengers.
18:08But half of everything they eat, they hunt.
18:18And this can help keep other urban species in check.
18:22But one pigeon won't feed the whole family.
18:30The cubs are twice the size.
18:33Full of energy and hungrier than ever.
18:45Mum is drained.
18:47Mum is drained.
18:48She's been nursing for weeks.
18:54It's time they relied on solid food.
18:58So dad takes on cub sitting duties.
19:02While mum heads into town.
19:09Some nights, there's a feast on the streets.
19:25Foxes have small stomachs.
19:28So what they can't eat immediately, they save for later.
19:32And they use some surprising ways to store food.
19:49This car's owner will surely be confused to find a chicken bone under the wipers.
20:01It pays to be streetwise in a city with so many roads.
20:07But not all animals are able to adapt.
20:14In spring, tens of thousands of breeding toads have got to get across roads.
20:21And many don't make it.
20:29They're not the only ones to be threatened by traffic.
20:34Hedgehog numbers in the UK have declined dramatically.
20:42A male hedgehog in search of a mate may have to travel up to two miles every night.
20:55But when he uses the streets, he's vulnerable.
21:10Thankfully, there are safer places.
21:16Like this garden in the corner of Ealing in West London.
21:30I used to have a hedgehog that lived in my garden all the time.
21:34But now they're a rare sight.
21:37Their charming creatures are not very social.
21:43Nonetheless, urban areas are the one place where their numbers have stabilised.
21:49And with a little help from us, there's hope that they might even increase.
21:56Hedgehogs can eat up to 100 grams of food in a night.
22:01And that can take quite a lot of collecting.
22:05But this one has hit the jackpot.
22:08Every evening, the owner of this garden provides a feast for them.
22:19He seems to be taking his time and just as well.
22:23Tonight, he's searching for a mate and he'll need all the energy he can find.
22:33I think they're lovely things.
22:41London has more gardens per square mile than any other capital city.
22:47But all too often, there's no way between them.
22:59The mission for a mate has hit a dead end.
23:13Or has it?
23:21All across London, garden owners are putting holes in their fences.
23:27Creating hedgehog highways that allow safe travel from garden to garden.
23:33To garden to garden to garden to garden to garden to garden to garden to garden to garden to garden.
23:45His eyesight is poor.
23:49So, he follows his nose.
23:58The scent of a female.
24:15Running rings around her while making strange snuffling sounds is his way of wooing.
24:28But she seems more interested in food.
24:36Spines are great for defence, but not for intimacy.
24:42As few as 4% of courtships are successful.
24:48Only time will tell if this is one of them.
25:004 million private gardens create significant natural space.
25:06But they are only one of the reasons why London is considered the greenest major city in the world.
25:19You hear that?
25:22That's a robin.
25:24And that is a parakeet.
25:27This early in the morning, the parks and gardens across London are alive with birdsong.
25:34Now, it's a wonderfully peaceful time.
25:37The opportunity to escape urban life is important for all of us who live in cities.
25:44And when it comes to finding green space, we in London are particularly lucky.
25:54With over 3,000 parks, London has been granted national park status.
26:03Some of this is down to King Henry VIII.
26:07The large areas of land he put aside for hunting still remain today.
26:15St. James' Park, Regents' Park and Hyde Park are all right in the centre of town.
26:23And each year, they're enjoyed by millions of visitors and their pets.
26:37So many people feeding the birds supports particularly high densities.
26:43And that can lead to conflict.
26:54こんつ are fiercely territorial.
26:59Every inch of water is contested.
27:05Their brawls are vicious and relentless.
27:08And if they extend into another's patch, they become a free-for-all.
27:47For birds more comfortable in a crowd, there's plenty of food to go around.
27:54Although not everyone is aware of the pecking order.
28:11This gull isn't after birdseed. He's after pigeon meat.
28:24A protein-rich diet has given him the glossiest plumage on the shores of the Serpentine in Hyde Park.
28:34Regulars steer clear of this killer gull.
28:38They know how to avoid his stalking stance.
28:46New arrivals, however, don't read the signs of danger.
29:26This cunning gull even knows how to dispatch his prey...
29:31by drowning it.
29:43He can claim two victims a day.
29:52But maybe not this time.
30:00Are the coots trying to save their fellow bird?
30:08Or are they just looking for another fight?
30:17A chance to escape.
30:19If she can just make it to shore.
30:35It's not easy being on the menu for so many urban predators.
30:40But pigeons are the victims of their own success.
30:47London's long history of kings and queens plays a huge part in safeguarding space for wildlife.
30:55From royal parks to the most regal institution of all.
31:10Bookingham Palace
31:12Official London residence of the King
31:18And a number of queens
31:25There are four honey bee hives in the palace grounds and royal bees have easy access to
31:33one of the finest rose collections in the land.
31:41But to make honey fit for a king, they must venture beyond the palace walls.
31:56London's gardens offer a greater diversity of flowering plants than almost any other city.
32:03And there are far less pesticides than in intensively farmed rural areas.
32:14The ideal blend for making delicious liquid gold.
32:20There is one catch, however.
32:24At the height of summer, cities can be five degrees hotter than the surrounding countryside.
32:30On rare occasions, these temperatures can cause nectar to ferment.
32:39A day of foraging turns into the bee equivalent of a pub crawl.
32:51Is her tongue-like proboscis hanging out a sign that she's flying under the influence?
33:01Studies suggest that bees may even prefer alcoholic nectar.
33:08When she gets really legless, even wings don't help.
33:26The effects wear off eventually, but it's still three miles back to the hive as the bee flies.
33:44Research into whether bees get hangovers has yet to be done.
33:54However, thanks to a huge diversity of flowers, London honey is regarded as some of the finest
34:01in the world.
34:08Just half a mile east, back at Parliament, the peregrine chicks I helped to ring are also struggling
34:16to get airborne.
34:23Fully grown and a lot less fluffy, they're preparing to leave the nest.
34:32Fledging is the most difficult time for urban peregrines.
34:36Fledging is the most difficult time for urban peregrines.
34:37But with every gust of wind, they grow in confidence.
34:42F ведgoes
35:10Fledging is the most difficult time for grabs and leads in the midst of the tribe of the
35:11places in which to get stuck there is nothing the parents can do
35:23she has to get out of this one herself
35:31she's free of the railings no choice now but to make that first flight
36:00a safe landing but if she's to master the art of extreme urban flight her parents have their work
36:09cut out peregrines spend months teaching their young for a few weeks a year look up in London
36:19and you might see this flight school above you adults perform maneuvers for the chicks to copy
36:40for advanced training parents first demonstrate the tricky mid-air food pass
36:52then fly by with food encouraging youngsters to try and grab it on the wing
37:07it's not easy
37:11but after a lot of trial and error
37:16one chick finally gets it
37:28the 75 years that I've lived in London has coincided with the peregrine's extraordinary return
37:37and over that time far more unexpected animals have also made their home here
37:45Regent's Canal cuts a path across the city centre
37:51it's a popular escape from the busy streets for walkers and cyclists
37:59but few are aware of the creatures above their heads
38:09Aesculapian snakes are native to continental Europe
38:17how they found their way here is a mystery
38:20but now around 40 of them live by the canal
38:26shy and harmless to humans
38:29they actually help to keep down the numbers of rats and mice
38:33even so anyone scared of snakes
38:37will be pleased to hear that they're not spreading
38:47meanwhile another new arrival most definitely is
38:55these brazen birds are running riot across the capital
39:12I still remember the first time I saw a parakeet in my garden
39:17some 30 years ago
39:19I couldn't believe my eyes
39:22what on earth was an exotic bird I'd seen on my travels
39:26doing in my London home
39:29there are many urban legends as to how parakeets originally got here
39:34some say Jimi Hendrix released London's first parakeets
39:39others believe that they escaped from a film set of the African Queen
39:45more likely is that they're descended from pets that escaped into the city
39:51however one thing is certain
39:53life in London clearly suits them very well indeed
40:02after foraging around town
40:05flocks join together to head back to their roost
40:14one of the largest gatherings is in Hither Green Cemetery
40:18southeast London
40:22following set tight paths these green squadrons create the capital's newest wildlife spectacle
40:31it's thought that today there are over 30,000 parakeets in the skies of London
40:38for theirarest
40:39so they're silver there are over 30...
41:05one of the largest mosquitoes
41:05with their flies with anybody
41:06the
41:06With social nature and a bold approach, parakeets have settled into London life with ease.
41:14And their numbers continue to grow.
41:20Some animals do so well here, they become a bit of a nuisance.
41:27A warmer microclimate and well-watered gardens create perfect conditions for London's most
41:34bizarre courtship, the leopard-slug mating dance.
41:56Slugs are hermaphrodites.
41:58Each one is both male and female.
42:05As they dangle from a line of mucus, both are impregnated.
42:17For such maligned animals, their copulation is strangely mesmerising.
42:38But it only leads to one thing – more slugs.
42:49By the end of summer, there can be as many as 14,000 slugs in one London garden.
42:58Gardeners try all sorts of things to keep them at bay, but the best solutions come naturally.
43:08A female hedgehog.
43:13And she's brought reinforcements.
43:19Only five weeks old, her hoglets join her on foraging trips.
43:31Her mating this season clearly was successful.
43:38Slugs and snails are their favourite.
43:41A single hedgehog can devour several each night.
44:05Males play no part in parenting, but when it comes to helping London's hedgehog population,
44:13its mission accomplished.
44:33Back in Tottenham, the female fox's next challenge is to introduce her cubs to life beyond the allotment.
44:44Mum leads the way.
44:50And her excited cubs follow.
44:52Mum leads the way.
45:06Except for one.
45:10Too scared of the big city, the more timid cub is left behind.
45:23Long lonely nights pass.
45:44Finally, hunger and curiosity get the better of her.
45:51With excellent night vision, highly sensitive ears, and a keen sense of smell, she's well equipped
46:01equipped to explore what this city has to offer.
46:17Just as she begins to find her feet, it's sensory overload.
46:25The road she's just crossed is suddenly terrifying.
46:35And with good reason.
46:38Cars are the biggest killers of urban foxes.
46:45Cars, Cars, Cars.
46:45Cars, Cars, Cars, Cars, Cars
47:05She turns tail, back to quieter roads.
47:14Often, it's the most cautious that are more likely to survive the journey to independence.
47:22And she's not alone yet.
47:25Her parents will be here to help for a while, as she gains in confidence and discovers the
47:37wonders of the city.
47:44Some seem to be born for a life on the streets, but others depend on us to create more suitable
47:52space.
47:56And where better to start than with one of London's iconic landmarks?
48:03The Natural History Museum in South Kensington.
48:07It's one of my favourite buildings in London.
48:13It's dinosaurs have inspired visitors for nearly 150 years.
48:23And in the grounds outside, the recent addition of a wildlife pond is attracting some prehistoric
48:31monsters of its own.
48:46There is good grazing for tadpoles at the sunlit surface.
48:57If it gets scary up top, they descend to the depths to hide.
49:28Ancient nymphs have terrorized the waters of the city.
49:32This land, since the time of the dinosaurs.
49:53With such voracious predators lurking, only a handful of tadpoles will survive.
50:00Few will be aware of the carnage taking place below.
50:14After two years of feasting, the nymphs leave the water to begin an incredible transformation.
50:44Emperor Dragonflies.
50:46Among the largest insects in Europe.
50:51Forget T-Rex, dragonflies are the most efficient predators to have ever lived.
50:59And far from becoming extinct, they're thriving in the royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
51:11This little oasis symbolises the way London's attitude to its wildlife is beginning to change.
51:21To the west, in Greenford, a meadow has become a place of hope for one of Britain's smallest mammals.
51:37And here it is, to Harvey's mouse.
51:42Welcome to your new home.
51:45There you go.
51:47He doesn't want to leave.
51:52Harvest mice disappeared from this part of London around 40 years ago.
51:58Maybe this one will put that right.
52:03Harvest mice play an important role in grassland ecology.
52:08They help disperse seeds and are part of a complex web of predators and prey.
52:16Of course, it takes a lot more than my one mouse to establish a new population here.
52:23But thankfully, the desire to bring the natural world back into our cities is gaining momentum.
52:39Across London, people young and old are helping to reintroduce lost species.
52:47And restore a more natural balance to urban areas.
53:00A stone's throw from where I released the harvest mouse, London is home to a rewilding project
53:08with ambitions on a totally different scale.
53:15The signs of one animal's hard work are everywhere.
53:23If you're lucky, just before sunset, you might get a glimpse of one.
53:33If someone had told me when I first moved here that one day I would be watching wild beavers
53:40in London, I would have thought they were mad.
53:43But there they are, right behind me, happily going about their own business.
54:01Wild beavers disappeared from Britain about 400 years ago, but they've been successfully
54:07brought back to this London wetland.
54:11Not only is it a wonderful sight, their presence is also helping to reshape the urban environment
54:19for the better.
54:25This beaver family fell a few trees each year, and that lets in light for other plants to grow.
54:41And the dams that these ecosystem engineers build help to filter the water.
54:54more plants and cleaner water attracts more insects, which in turn feed a community of animals.
55:03A whole wetland has been brought back to life.
55:08And it can now retain a lot more water.
55:20Incredibly, for the first time in a decade, residential areas downstream have been flood-free.
55:30If a few beavers can have such a positive impact on this corner of West London, imagine what else can
55:37be achieved if we let nature back into our cities.
55:46The way in which London has changed over my lifetime reflects the problems in front of us all.
55:55Making space for nature is one of the greatest challenges we face.
56:04But I also see how we can all make a difference.
56:09No matter how small.
56:14Whether lending wildlife a helping hand.
56:18Or making our world more welcoming to nature.
56:24Securing a brighter future.
56:26For both animals.
56:28And us too.
56:34After all, a greener city is a healthier city.
56:39And the best place to enjoy nature is close to home.
56:54Standing among these marvellous trees, it's hard to believe that I'm in a capital city.
57:01Richmond Park is one of my favourite places.
57:06Just minutes from my house, it's been both a refuge and a source of inspiration over the years.
57:14I've been coming here ever since I moved to London over 70 years ago.
57:20Even after all that time and after all the places I've visited, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
57:36To be continued...
57:38To be continued...
57:57To be continued...
57:57To be continued...
57:59To be continued...
58:02To be continued...
58:03To be continued...
58:04To be continued...
58:04To be continued...
58:04To be continued...