Wild London

Good evening, sir. Where to?

Richmond, please. Richmond it is.

Throughout my life,

I've had the good fortune to travel the world,

witnessing many great natural spectacles.

But this is the place to which I've always returned.

A sprawling megacity

may seem no home for a nature lover like me.

But there is a wild side to London.

My city is surprisingly alive

with all sorts of animals...

..and full of remarkable natural spectacles.

Even in the centre of town,

animals can not only survive, but flourish.

Over the years,

I've come to appreciate what I find on my own doorstep.

So, when it comes to discovering the wonders of nature,

there really is no place like home.

This is it. Thank you very much.

London.

Nine million people.

2.5 million cars.

And 600 square miles of concrete, tarmac and steel.

But the city has a surprisingly rich wildlife.

And my journey begins between

an unassuming row of houses in north London.

I've come to this allotment in Tottenham

to meet a notoriously elusive resident.

It's now around 8.30 in the evening,

and if all goes to plan, they should show up any minute now.

Oh, here we are.

Hello.

And here's another one. Two.

Even though there are more wild foxes

in London than almost any other big city,

it's still a huge thrill to see one suddenly emerging from the bushes.

Totally wild creature.

Hello.

An encounter like this feels very special.

But in London,

you're usually far closer to a fox than you might think.

These cunning creatures are experts

at operating under our radar

through stealth...

..adaptability...

..and an appetite for almost any food...

..foxes thrive in surprisingly high densities.

In the open countryside,

there are one or two per square kilometre.

In London, there can be 30.

So, their biggest challenge is competition with one another.

This vixen has secured a prime territory in Tottenham.

With plenty of options for food.

But another female is sniffing around her patch.

It's the breeding season

and the demand for territories is intense.

If she's to keep her home, she'll have to fight.

FOXES SCREECH

These battle cries may be a familiar sound,

but few of us get to witness fights as fierce as this.

Neither individual can afford injury,

so they try to intimidate.

Finally, her rival submits.

The better the territory a female attains,

the greater will be her success as a mother.

Even so, she'll need help.

FOX SHOUTS

The call from her mate.

Time to regroup.

In the allotment at the heart of their territory,

they steal a moment together.

Raising a family in the city

will depend on the strength of their bond.

In this highly urbanised environment,

the only animals that flourish

are those who know how to work the system.

Like most Londoners, I used to get the tube to work

and there was one animal that always brightened up my day.

Hammersmith station.

An excellent breakfast spot for peckish pigeons.

Once this platform is cleared of food,

it's on to the next station.

And why waste energy flying when you can travel by tube?

This train is ready to leave.

Please mind the doors.

Pigeons probably first hopped onto trains

following trails of crumbs dropped by commuters.

Getting home is no problem either.

Pigeons use the sun and magnetic fields to find their way.

In urban areas, they also use landmarks,

roads, and even train lines.

However, it's the ability to rub along with us humans

that makes them so good at navigating London life.

Mind the gap between the train and the platform.

Pigeons are so streetwise, they can thrive right in the city centre.

But they're not alone.

Peregrine falcons.

Towering buildings are a good substitute

for their natural cliff habitat.

They're excellently adapted

to soar amongst London's concrete canyons.

And there are one million of their favourite prey.

Peregrines are agile pursuit hunters

and here, they need to be.

Manoeuvring through London's skies is challenging

and pigeons use it to their advantage.

But for the world's fastest animal,

there's plenty of opportunity to make a killing in the city.

At Charing Cross Hospital,

these new parents face a daunting feeding schedule.

Working a relentless relay,

they take turns fetching lunch

and baby-sitting.

Trying to keep up with their chicks' insatiable appetites.

The chicks need to grow 25 times bigger before they fledge.

There are now over 50 pairs of peregrines nesting in London,

from hospitals to factories by the Thames,

and even here

on the Houses of Parliament.

This pair have nested among these spires for ten years.

Their latest chicks are four weeks old

and it's time to check on their progress.

What a lovely thing.

Yeah, there we are. There we are.

When I first moved to London in the 1950s,

peregrine falcons were practically extinct in Britain.

But now they're thriving here

in greater numbers than almost any other city in the world.

Even so, chicks like this little one

are still rare and precious,

and the ring that we're putting on it now will help us follow it

as it seeks its fortune in the big city.

So now we can recognise you anywhere.

Yes.

Yes, you.

London's peregrines are now doing well, thanks to our help.

Meanwhile, others need no encouragement at all.

Dawn in Harold Hill, on the eastern edge of the capital.

The scene is set for an invasion.

Fallow deer.

Before the pandemic, only a few would brave the city.

But when the streets fell quiet, they came as a herd.

Once they acquired the taste for it, the habit stuck.

Now, even prized roses aren't safe.

Fallow deer were first introduced to Britain by the Romans

nearly 2,000 years ago.

And in east London, their numbers continue to grow.

When the human world wakes, the herd heads back to the park.

This female is in a hurry.

She has a secret in the woods.

Her fawn is just a few days old.

She hides it among the trees to keep it safe.

Wolves may no longer be a threat in London,

but hundreds of thousands of their relatives can be.

Every year, dogs kill fawns hiding in the undergrowth.

DOGS BARKING

WHISTLING

As the threat gets closer,

the female seems to abandon her fawn.

But she's trying to draw attention away from it.

All he needs to do

is stay as still as possible.

Animals must rely on their basic instincts

to keep their families safe, even in this modern world.

Back in Tottenham, the allotment is an excellent place

to meet the female foxes' growing needs.

Five new mouths to feed.

For now, the cubs will stay close to the den.

Tucked away from traffic and other dangers,

London's 40,000 vegetable plots

provide a sanctuary for wildlife

and a good place to raise a family.

A few weeks later and the female is now fully focused

on securing enough food.

Many people see foxes just as scavengers...

..but half of everything they eat, they hunt.

And this can help keep other urban species in check.

But one pigeon won't feed the whole family.

The cubs are twice the size.

Full of energy and hungrier than ever.

Mum is drained.

She's been nursing for weeks.

It's time they relied on solid food.

So Dad takes on cub sitting duties

while Mum heads into town.

Some nights there's a feast on the streets.

Foxes have small stomachs, so what they can't eat immediately,

they save for later.

And they use some surprising ways to store food.

This car's owner will surely be confused

to find a chicken bone under the wipers.

It pays to be streetwise in a city with so many roads,

but not all animals are able to adapt.

In spring, tens of thousands of breeding toads

have got to get across roads,

and many don't make it.

They're not the only ones to be threatened by traffic.

Hedgehog numbers in the UK have declined dramatically.

A male hedgehog in search of a mate

may have to travel up to two miles every night.