London may not immediately spring to mind as the ideal environment for wildlife but if you think animal life is confined to pigeons in Trafalgar Square, foxes in the bins and rats in the sewers then think again. Despite the built up areas, crowds and pollution, the capital is home to a wealth of animal life living in a surprising variety of habitats.
Trafalgar Square, ironically, is no longer one of these habitats. In 2003, the Mayor of London introduced a byelaw prohibiting the feeding of the pigeons. You will now only see a couple of hundred pigeons each day, compared to the 4,000 that used to flock to the Square at lunchtime for a feed.
In 1949, following a severe drought, pollution levels in the Thames were so high that the oxygen content of the water dropped to zero; during the 1950s the river was biologically dead. Thankfully things have now changed; wildlife in the river is thriving and includes more than 120 species of fish.
In January 2006, an 18 foot bottle-nosed whale was stranded in the Thames after losing its way in the North Sea. Although it’s unusual to spot a 7-tonne whale when you’re strolling along the South Bank, there’s a lot more lurking in the river’s murky waters than abandoned shopping trolleys!
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), zsl.org, launched the Thames Marine Mammal Survey in July 2004. Many porpoises, seals and dolphins have been spotted since the launch of the survey, which encourages members of the public to report sightings of river life. A dead otter was even found close to the banks of the Thames in Wapping recently, the first wild otter to be seen in central London for over 100 years.
London also has an 80km network of canals which provide a peaceful setting and ideal place to spot a wide variety of plant and animal life. Log on to british-waterways.co.uk for details of walks along London’s canals.
If you would like to help clean up London’s rivers, visit the Thames21 website at thames21.org.uk. Thames21 are an environmental charity who work with communities to clean up London’s waterways. You can even adopt a stretch of river if you can get a group of five or more people together!
London Zoo, with over 600 different species, is an enjoyable and educational day out for all the family. If you have reservations about zoos, London Zoo does now focus on conservation, education, research and breeding programmes. The enclosures more closely resemble natural habitats than they used to and some of the larger animals have been relocated to more spacious environments. The elephants were moved to Whipsnade after a keeper was tragically trampled to death in 2001.
Daily events at the zoo include ‘Meet the Monkeys’ when you can stroll around the monkey enclosure and the African Bird Safari which gives you the opportunity to walk through the impressive 51 meter long, 10 meter high aviary. The ever popular penguin feeding time takes place between 2.30 pm and 3.00 pm.
The Children’s Zoo is a great place for kids. There is a pet care centre where you can ask knowledgeable keepers advice on how to look after your pets. There are also ‘Touch Sessions’ in which you are able to meet the animals face to face. As well as domestic animals there are also goats, sheep, cows, a llama, a pygmy, kangaroos and many others.\n\nIf you yearn for the sights and smells of the country, why not visit a city farm? City farms are designed to bring the countryside and its activities into urban communities and they welcome visitors and volunteers. The first city farm opened in Kentish Town in 1972 and there are now 17 farms across the capital. The Federation of City Farms & Community Gardens (FCFCG) website, farmgarden.org.uk, includes information on all London’s farms. Farms usually have a range of traditional livestock as well as fruit and vegetable gardens and often sell their produce.
If you fancy something fishy then where better to spend an afternoon than the London Aquarium on the Southbank, londonaquarium.co.uk. The London Aquarium houses one of Europe’s largest displays of aquatic life - 350 species in 2 million litres of water. In the main Atlantic Tank you can watch divers feeding the sharks. One of the most popular areas of the Aquarium is the touch pool where you can stroke the rays.
The London Wetland Centre, official site: wwt.org.uk, is a beautiful nature reserve developed on a 100 acre site which attracts more than 180 species of wild birds from around the world. The wetland habitat was created in 2000 and designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 2002.
Recent sightings have included Common Kingfishers, Marsh Harriers, Stonechats, Siskins and Peregrine Falcons. For those who don’t fancy the traditional bird hides over the winter months, there is a heated glass observatory.
In addition to housing the largest living plant collection in the world, Kew Gardens, official website: rbgkew.org.uk, is a beautiful place to search for wildlife. In 2005, a Wildlife Zone, which contains no fewer than 8 different habitats including woodland, wetland and meadowland, was created around a gravel pit. Unusual features include a stag beetle loggery for beetles to lay their eggs in, built from a wide variety of Kew timber. Kew is also home to a large number of badgers, there are 15 setts within the 300 acre gardens including a human size replica sett which gives visitors an insight into the unseen world of the badger.\n\nHackney Marshes, in London’s East End contains a staggering 88 full sized football pitches but there is still room for a 12 acre conservation area containing beautiful woodland, meadows and canal and riverside walks. There is plenty of wildlife to be spotted including herons, kingfishers and otters.
Epping Forest, cityoflondon.gov.uk, is the largest public open space in London, covering approximately 6,000 acres. The ancient deciduous woodland dates from around 8,000 BC and much of the forest has been designated an SSSI. In addition to the woodland, habitats include heathland, marshes and ponds and contain a vast range of flora and fauna including fallow dear.
London has some beautiful parks and even those in central London contain wildlife. The lake in St James’s Park is home to many birds and waterfowl and you can spot hedgehogs, foxes, squirrels and bats in Regent’s Park. Bushy Park and Richmond Park are homes to herds of red and fallow deer.
The London Wildlife Trust campaigns to protect and enhance wildlife in the Capital. It has an excellent website, wildlondon.org.uk which contains a wealth of useful information including a list of London’s nature reserves, details of free events and volunteer activities and interesting fact sheets on London’s most popular species.
The London Wildcare Trust is a fantastic organisation which runs London’s only wildlife hospital. They have a 24 hour helpline and will never turn an animal in distress away. For further information, including details of volunteer opportunities, log on to londonwildcare.org.uk.
Autumn is one of the most beautiful seasons to spend time outside so get out there and enjoy London’s wildlife!
