Wild London

The other day, I finally got around to watching Wild London, the new David Attenborough documentary, on the BBC iPlayer. I’d been looking forward to it, and it did not disappoint. But then, David Attenborough has never done that.

Nor had he ever done a documentary about wildlife so close to home, and London has been that to Sir David for many years. The programme was, in true Attenborough style, eye-opening and entertaining in equal measure. Some of the subjects I knew a bit about (I’m well aware of urban foxes, Ring-necked Parakeets and the fact that Peregrine Falcons hunt for pigeons in Central London), others less so (a herd of deer in an East London suburb, and beavers — yes, beavers — somewhere in West London).

 

The man himself (now aged 99) continues to he surprised and at times overjoyed by the natural world, as witness his delight when handling a Peregrine chick in the Houses of Parliament and his wonder at the foxes getting so close to him in a Tottenham allotment. Part of his appeal has been the way in which he passes his enthusiasm for the natural world to the viewer. Rather like him, I get a thrill when I see a fox emerging from the bushes in my garden.

A David Attenborough documentary about wildlife in London can only, I think, serve to get people more interested in the wildlife on their doorstep. And in these troubled times in which we live, a well-produced and expertly narrated television programme exploring and celebrating wildlife close to home can only be a good thing.