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On a quiet summer night earlier this year, Sir David Attenborough found himself lying on his side, observing a hedgehog as it foraged in a city garden. “I think they’re lovely things,” he said, his voice carrying both the wonder of youth and the depth of his 99 years. Over seven decades, he has journeyed across the globe, sharing the marvels of the natural world. Now, in a special documentary, he has returned to his home city of London to explore its hidden wildlife.
Sir David has lived in Richmond, southwest London, for seven decades, finding the borough’s royal park a constant source of inspiration and refuge. It is from Richmond that his new documentary, *Wild London*, begins and concludes. Gaby Bastyra, the executive producer of Passion Planet, which produced the film, remarked that while Sir David “could live anywhere in the world… but he’s always come home to London.” She described the programme as “an appreciation of his place – and he loves it.” This raises the question of whether London’s wildlife can compare to the grand beasts and unique creatures Sir David has encountered worldwide, from mountain gorillas in Rwanda to lyrebirds in Australia, or a blue whale breaching beside his small boat.
*Wild London* features a variety of urban animal wonders, including pigeons boarding the Hammersmith and City line and a snake colony near a canal. The documentary highlights the often unnoticed natural interactions occurring amid the city’s nearly nine million residents. One memorable scene depicts a boisterous Dalmatian dog wandering through Dagnam Park in Romford, coming close to a newly born fallow deer fawn. David Mooney, CEO of the London Wildlife Trust, which co-produced *Wild London*, expressed his fascination with this “juxtaposition,” emphasizing that while dogs aren’t necessarily problematic, such interactions show wildlife constantly engaging with urban life. He noted, “The raw experiences of nature are something that at London Wildlife Trust we’ve been talking about for a long time.”
Among the most touching moments in the film are those where Sir David shows gentle affection for the animals he meets. At the Houses of Parliament, he carefully holds a peregrine falcon chick being ringed for identification, whispering tenderly, “Now we can recognise you anywhere – yes, yes you.” Later, in west London’s Greenford, he cradles a tiny harvest mouse before releasing it into a meadow, saying warmly, “Welcome to your new home – there you go.” Director Joe Loncraine, who has worked with Sir David on several nature documentaries, praised these scenes for the warmth and infectious enthusiasm conveyed. Sir David also celebrated the success of the Ealing Beaver Project in west London, calling it a “positive impact” and marveling, “If someone had told me when I first moved here that one day I would be watching wild beavers in London, I would have thought they were mad. But there they are, right behind me.”
This documentary serves as a gentle reminder from Sir David that nature thrives even in bustling urban environments. David Mooney encapsulated the message well: “If people notice it, they will begin to love it – if people love it, they’ll want to protect it. And if people protect it, we’ll be on a path to nature recovery.” In highlighting the natural world on our doorsteps, *Wild London* encourages viewers to pause amidst their busy routines and appreciate the wildlife that exists all around them. Joe Loncraine aptly summarized the film’s spirit, saying, “We can be rushing about our jobs, commuting to work, picking the kids up from school, going to the shops – and not really notice. There can be really quite beautiful animals right there – so it’s just about taking that moment to have a look.”
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