0:00:02 > 0:00:05Britain's wildlife needs your help.
0:00:05 > 0:00:10Many of our favourite wild creatures are under threat.
0:00:10 > 0:00:11From persecution.
0:00:11 > 0:00:12From pollution.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14And alien predators.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Others are losing their homes.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Suffering from injury or disease.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Or just struggling to survive in the modern world.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Some could be extinct within our lifetime
0:00:28 > 0:00:30if we don't act now.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35There's nothing in the sky or even in the trees there, is there?
0:00:35 > 0:00:37But you can help bring them back from the brink.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Together we can fight their enemies.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Restore the places where they live.
0:00:42 > 0:00:43And stop their decline in its tracks.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Release...
0:00:49 > 0:00:51ALL: Whoa!
0:00:51 > 0:00:53So join our campaign.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55To save our wonderful wildlife.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57For us all to enjoy.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Oh, look!
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Hello to you!
0:01:01 > 0:01:05I mean, how can you not just fall in love with that?
0:01:18 > 0:01:21You don't have to fly thousands of miles around the world
0:01:21 > 0:01:23to see amazing wildlife.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28There are great natural spectacles right here on our doorstep.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Isn't this just amazing?
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Home to a huge array of wildlife, and just look how close I am
0:01:36 > 0:01:39to these normally really flighty red deer.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43But the best bit about it is this isn't some remote, hard to reach,
0:01:43 > 0:01:44rural location -
0:01:44 > 0:01:47I'm in one of the busiest cities in the world.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50It's the real urban jungle.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59As modern life becomes all-consuming,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03our wild neighbours help us reconnect with our surroundings.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07They remind us they are part of world in which Mother Nature
0:02:07 > 0:02:09was here long before us.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21Our cities may be noisy, crowded and polluted,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24but they're also home to a wider variety of wildlife
0:02:24 > 0:02:27than any other habitat in the country.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39But sadly, as our cities have grown, our wildlife has suffered.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43And now some of our best-loved wild creatures are struggling
0:02:43 > 0:02:46to survive in 21st century urban Britain.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48They desperately need our help.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52I'm determined to protect anything that brings
0:02:52 > 0:02:56a touch of the wild into our busy city lives.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58And, thankfully, I'm not alone.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Our team of wildlife experts is on the case to help protect
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Britain's most threatened city creatures.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11Ben Fogle tries to save one of our best loved animals.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15This is a magical, magical experience.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Mike Dilger shows you how to make an urban oasis for wildlife
0:03:18 > 0:03:20in your own back yard.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23I love getting my hands dirty.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28And George McGavin discovers why our largest insect needs a helping hand.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30But that is absolutely amazing.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41I'm a country girl at heart.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43I was born and raised in the Cotswolds
0:03:43 > 0:03:46but I'm in the minority because four out of five Britons,
0:03:46 > 0:03:48that's 50 million people,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51live in our towns and cities.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54And as space becomes more and more squeezed,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57the more problems there are for our wild neighbours.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Like us, city creatures are suffering from overcrowding,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03a housing shortage,
0:04:03 > 0:04:08as well as fewer and fewer places to just chill out and relax.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11The animals in our cities have to live alongside us.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15And for some it's a constant daily battle to survive.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19For some of us, fox cubs like this are very sweet.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21To others, they are seen as vermin
0:04:21 > 0:04:24and their numbers aren't particularly at risk.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27But the fact of the matter is that most people don't want to see
0:04:27 > 0:04:28animals suffering.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32This one has been orphaned, its mother run over by a car.
0:04:34 > 0:04:35It's a lucky one cos it's here
0:04:35 > 0:04:38but there are many others that are not nearly so lucky
0:04:38 > 0:04:42and they're suffering because they are trying to live alongside us.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48Every year millions of wild creatures are killed
0:04:48 > 0:04:50or injured on our urban roads.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53We need to live in harmony alongside nature,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57but all too often we're putting ourselves first.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01And that's been happening with one of our favourite creatures,
0:05:01 > 0:05:02as Ben Fogle went to find out.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08These city streets can be a tough place to live.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13Especially for a small, nocturnal animal like the hedgehog.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19But although we often think of hedgehogs as creatures
0:05:19 > 0:05:24of the countryside, they thrive in our cities and towns.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27You see, our gardens and parks make ideal habitats
0:05:27 > 0:05:30and what's more we've gained something in return
0:05:30 > 0:05:33because hedgehogs make ruthless slug killers.
0:05:37 > 0:05:43But now hedgehog numbers have plummeted 95% in the last 60 years.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47If we don't do anything to reverse its decline,
0:05:47 > 0:05:52it could be extinct in Britain by 2025.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00So what went so horribly wrong?
0:06:00 > 0:06:03How did we force a creature from the age of dinosaurs
0:06:03 > 0:06:05to the brink of extinction?
0:06:05 > 0:06:08The hedgehog's decline has been investigated
0:06:08 > 0:06:11by Professor Chris Baines.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14So tell me a little bit about this pretty dramatic decline in hedgehogs.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17The clue is in the name, really - hedgehog.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22We've lost something like 300,000 miles of hedgerows
0:06:22 > 0:06:24from the countryside, in my lifetime.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28And hedgehogs are creatures that creep along the edges.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30They're a woodland-edge species, really.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32If you've lost that much hedgerow,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36that's enough hedgerow to travel round the earth 12 times.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40That's a massive amount of habitat lost.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Then it's not surprising that the countryside can't accommodate
0:06:43 > 0:06:45the hedgehogs any more.
0:06:45 > 0:06:51So the hedgehog took refuge in our urban gardens, a forest of hedgerows.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55But this ideal home didn't last for long.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00For the urban hedgehog there's danger lurking everywhere.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07One swipe from a strimmer can do unimaginable damage.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Slug pellets bring an agonising death.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Garden ponds and even something like this
0:07:13 > 0:07:15can be a death-trap to a hedgehog.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Log piles make great hideaways for hedgehogs,
0:07:19 > 0:07:21but not come Bonfire Night.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25There's danger outside the garden, too.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30As many as 50,000 hedgehogs die on our roads every year.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32So hedgehogs really do need your help.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36But what can we do?
0:07:36 > 0:07:41Well, in Bristol, they've got just the answer.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Welcome to Hedgehog Street.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Well, it's not really called that but it should be
0:07:46 > 0:07:48because this is a fantastic example
0:07:48 > 0:07:51of what we could all be doing in the streets where we live.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58This is a national neighbourhood watch scheme - with a difference.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02The campaign was started by Claudia, who sent a letter round asking
0:08:02 > 0:08:06the whole community to join forces to make their street safe for hedgehogs.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11I got on the computer and wrote my little note saying,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14"We've got hedgehogs in the garden.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16"Please don't use un-hedgehog-friendly
0:08:16 > 0:08:21"slug pellets and if you make some gaps under your fence..."
0:08:21 > 0:08:23and just a few tips, really.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Because this is one of the big misnomers.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29Everyone puts down slug pellets but hedgehogs eat slugs.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31They're a natural pest control,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- we don't need to put down the slug pellets.- Yeah, absolutely,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36that's what I put in my note. "The hedgehog is the gardener's friend.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40"If you look after the hedgehog then they'll take care of the slugs."
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Who've we got over here? This isn't hedgehog.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47This is Jessie. A lot of hedgehogs end up in wildlife hospitals
0:08:47 > 0:08:48because they've been mauled by dogs.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51The cats aren't bothered by the hedgehogs at all.
0:08:51 > 0:08:52That's not a problem.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55The solution is simply at night, if you're letting the dog out
0:08:55 > 0:08:57into the garden, is you just put them on an extendable lead
0:08:57 > 0:08:59and that's it. It's as simple as that.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02I think Jessie also realises they have 6,000 spines.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06That's a lot of spines into your mouth. Don't go for hedgehogs.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09And one of the most important other things is
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- there's access between gardens. - Yes, yes, absolutely.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17Cos we put up barriers, don't we? Every man's house is their castle.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19We put up fortification.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23But actually having holes like this is crucial, isn't it?
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Yeah, it really, really is.
0:09:25 > 0:09:26We had this tricky thing where the dog
0:09:26 > 0:09:31is obsessed with getting next door. But we don't want to put a fence up
0:09:31 > 0:09:33so we've had to put little bits of Trellis
0:09:33 > 0:09:37and as you can see here, some railings.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Your neighbours... Hello.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Sorry, I just saw you over there. Hi there, I'm Ben.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44- Sorry to interrupt you. - How do you do? Steve.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45- Steve.- Hello. Lorna.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Lorna, very nice to see you.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51- So have you been smitten by hedgehogs as well?- Oh, certainly.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54I think connection with wildlife is essential for health,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56happiness and general wellbeing.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58And we've always encouraged things here.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02We've kept log piles or heaps of stone and bits and pieces.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04And things turn up.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08Male hedgehogs like to wander up to a mile every night,
0:10:08 > 0:10:09especially when looking for love.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13So to help them we need to create a network of gardens.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17There's a Hedgehog Street website where you can download fact sheets
0:10:17 > 0:10:21explaining things like the importance of feeding them cat food and water
0:10:21 > 0:10:23and not bread and milk.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26This all helps to encourage your community to open up
0:10:26 > 0:10:28their green spaces for hedgehogs.
0:10:30 > 0:10:31What a brilliant scheme.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34And the best thing is that every one of us,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38living in any street, in a town or city or a suburb, can get involved.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39All you need is neighbours.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Claudia says her hedgehogs arrive
0:10:44 > 0:10:46like clockwork as soon as it gets dark.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53Sadly, I haven't seen a hedgehog in the wild for a couple of years.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57So I'm putting down some extra cat food and I have everything crossed.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04- Can I say, it's six o'clock on the dot...- I told you.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08- ..and you said that they would be out here at six o'clock.- Yeah, yeah.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Do you recognise this one in particular?
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Yeah, I think this is the smaller one. It is quite thin.
0:11:15 > 0:11:20It really needs to fatten up quick, really, before it gets too cold.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22They're very noisy eaters.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24They really are.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27To be honest, this hedgehog doesn't look well at all.
0:11:27 > 0:11:32But what can you do if you find a sick or injured hedgehog?
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Well, most regions have dedicated rescue centres
0:11:35 > 0:11:37run by volunteers like Yvonne Cox.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41She nurses hedgehogs back to life at her home.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43And I'm joining her for the bit I love -
0:11:43 > 0:11:44the big release.
0:11:46 > 0:11:47Oh, look.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50You see, this is the incredible thing - I never see them.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54I never see them cos in my garden in London they just don't come.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56- Can I?- Of course.
0:11:56 > 0:12:01Oh, look. I mean, how can you not just fall in love with that?
0:12:01 > 0:12:02They're beautiful, aren't they?
0:12:02 > 0:12:07- I know that you adore hedgehogs. You gave up your job for them?- Yes.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09And you now have a rescue centre.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12I do. Well, my back garden and the side of my house, yes.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14So how many others have you got here?
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- We have five that we're hoping to release today.- Right.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19What we're going to do is weigh them.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22You are going to have to check my pockets before I leave.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- I'm warning you now.- OK.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26So shall we pop him on the scale?
0:12:26 > 0:12:30'Hedgehogs must reach a weight of 600 grams before they can be set free.'
0:12:33 > 0:12:34Here you go, little man.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40- 682.- So he's fine to go.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42'He's made it.'
0:12:42 > 0:12:43Sometimes they do prickle a little.
0:12:43 > 0:12:51I was just going to admit that but I wanted to keep my hard man image.
0:12:51 > 0:12:52Ow!
0:12:52 > 0:12:55It's a bit like a lucky dip, isn't it?
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Except we know what we're going to find.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00And is it going to prickle me
0:13:00 > 0:13:02or is going to be quite happy to be picked up?
0:13:02 > 0:13:05So here we go.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Obviously this is their defensive side here
0:13:07 > 0:13:10but they must be more vulnerable on the other side. Oh, look.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Oh, wow, so they can actually fold themselves
0:13:12 > 0:13:15- into a complete prickly ball. - Complete prickly ball.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19All these spines can move independently.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21You can actually see them.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Yes, they can all move.
0:13:25 > 0:13:26That is just amazing.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29'Yvonne cares for her hedgehogs by cleaning them up
0:13:29 > 0:13:31'and giving them medicine.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34'She also coordinates a network of back garden hedgehog carers,
0:13:34 > 0:13:38'all dishing out hedgehog food, shelter and TLC.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42'Those with more serious injuries are taken to the vet.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44'But hedgehogs that recover, like these guys,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48'are given a safe new home close to where they were originally rescued.'
0:13:48 > 0:13:50This is what we call a "hogitat"
0:13:50 > 0:13:55and I've put some bedding inside, a bit of newspaper, some straw.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58OK, here we go.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00So just point its nose and hopefully...
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Go on. In you go.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09It's blocking the front door for a moment.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Go on, in you go.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13We might have a "hogjam."
0:14:15 > 0:14:16Where's the head?
0:14:16 > 0:14:18- It's that way round.- That way round?
0:14:20 > 0:14:24It's so rare to see a hedgehog these days.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27This is a magical, magical experience.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Good luck.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31In you go.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39Time is running out for the hedgehog and we simply can't let this
0:14:39 > 0:14:42magnificent creature disappear from the urban jungle.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46So it's up to all of us to make sure
0:14:46 > 0:14:51that our gardens are where the hedgehog can take refuge and thrive.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57CAR HORN BLARES
0:15:01 > 0:15:04As our towns and cities become more and more crowded,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07outdoor space is becoming even more precious.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12In the East End borough of Tower Hamlets,
0:15:12 > 0:15:16a quarter of a million people live amongst less green space
0:15:16 > 0:15:20than almost any other neighbourhood in Britain.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21So where do all these people go
0:15:21 > 0:15:26when they want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life?
0:15:26 > 0:15:27They come here.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Welcome to Tower Hamlets Cemetery.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38That's right, a cemetery.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42But one with a difference - a cemetery park.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48Nestling between the concrete high rises is a magical urban oasis.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53And for a place so closely linked with death, it's full of life.
0:15:57 > 0:16:03This place is a Victorian graveyard that was nearly lost to developers
0:16:03 > 0:16:07until local people fought a really hard battle to save it.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11And I've never been anywhere like this. I absolutely love it.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13It's got this mystery of graveyards,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16all the lives that you wish you knew more about,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19while at the same time feeling like a calm woodland
0:16:19 > 0:16:22right in the middle of the city,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24that is bursting with life.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30These days it's haven for wildlife, with a wealth of different
0:16:30 > 0:16:36species living harmoniously amongst the hundreds of graves here.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38If you just stop for a second and listen...
0:16:38 > 0:16:40BIRDS CHIRP
0:16:40 > 0:16:43..there's so much birdsong.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47And yet you can hear a plane just behind it.
0:16:47 > 0:16:48We're right under a flight path.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51There's this constant reminder that you're in the city.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53But while you're here the song is loud enough
0:16:53 > 0:16:55almost to drown out where you are.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Just over there, right in the middle of the day,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06is a fox just pottering about. He's not in any hurry at all.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Back at home in the countryside they run a mile as soon as they see
0:17:15 > 0:17:17you but this one is very relaxed.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24With the local wildlife flourishing,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28this has been transformed into the kind of place you'd never expect
0:17:28 > 0:17:31to find in the heart of the urban jungle.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Right in the middle of this city we've got all these wild flowers
0:17:36 > 0:17:39and a lot of them are woodland species, too.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41There's bluebells,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44there's some primroses and cowslips.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46And that...
0:17:46 > 0:17:50is a parakeet, which is eating blossom.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Still find it hard to get used to seeing them here.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02When you reconnect with nature it reminds you of the cycle of life,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05and this place is no exception.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09It has become a sanctuary for local residents to escape the daily grind
0:18:09 > 0:18:10of urban living,
0:18:10 > 0:18:14and for city children to get hands on with nature.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Look, there's a damselfly nymph.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19- You know what dragonflies look like?- Yeah.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21So it looks a bit like a dragonfly when he's an adult.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25And it's all thanks to the efforts of local people including
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Ken Greenway, who has played a pivotal role in protecting
0:18:28 > 0:18:31this park for the local community.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33What sort of people come here to use it?
0:18:33 > 0:18:35All kinds of people, really.
0:18:35 > 0:18:36Your dog walker's your main user,
0:18:36 > 0:18:38they always want to be in outdoor spaces.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Mums with their kids just using it as an informal place to view nature.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Schools are a massive user here.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- We see about 8,500 school children a year.- Wow.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50I love it. I've never come across anything like it.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52It feels like it's got the real mystery,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55the intrigue of being a grave site as well as having this lovely,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57safe park, woodland feel to it.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59It's a little bit of the countryside in the city.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02It's the only woodland in Tower Hamlets
0:19:02 > 0:19:04and the most urban woodland in London.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06It looks like you've just left it, like it's completely wild.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08- But that's not the case, is it? - No, not at all.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12To make it look as it does requires 3,000 volunteers a year,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15all approximately giving seven hours each to help manage the park
0:19:15 > 0:19:20across our three themes of wildlife, people and education.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24This urban oasis could easily have disappeared
0:19:24 > 0:19:27under tonnes of concrete.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Instead, it's become home to an amazing variety of wildlife.
0:19:31 > 0:19:37We really must make sure that these important green spaces survive.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39How do you go about winning a fight to protect a place like this?
0:19:39 > 0:19:41It's people.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44People coming together and seeing the value in what it offers as a green
0:19:44 > 0:19:48space, but also historically its value, as one of London's
0:19:48 > 0:19:52"Magnificent Seven" cemeteries and a place of local history and heritage.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55So if there is a little bit of green space that someone sees value in,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58yeah, get involved. Contact your council, ask them about it.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01Is anyone doing anything about it? Can they be involved?
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Run an event, do a walk, go out and look for butterflies, yeah, do it.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Get on with it, you know.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11Cos I think places are only protected when they're valued and used.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14And if they seem ignored or neglected they'll disappear
0:20:14 > 0:20:16if no-one's there to enjoy it.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20You sound like the right pair of hands to be looking after it, Ken.
0:20:20 > 0:20:21Hopefully, hopefully.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28Sadly, around one third of the UK's green spaces and wildlife habitats
0:20:28 > 0:20:33are in danger of being lost for ever to development or neglect.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38People power has triumphed here.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42And there are places in towns and cities all over Britain
0:20:42 > 0:20:44that have been saved from the developers.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48Creatures depend on places like this, as George McGavin discovered
0:20:48 > 0:20:50when he went in search of an amazing insect
0:20:50 > 0:20:53that's struggling to cope in a changing world.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10Amazingly, one in four of all life forms on earth are beetles.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14And in the UK alone, we've more than 4,000 different species.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21They're eaters of aphids, wood chewers, bark burrowers
0:21:21 > 0:21:23and leaf munchers.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27And as far as I'm concerned, beetles are among the most beautiful
0:21:27 > 0:21:29and interesting things you'll ever see.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32British beetles are part of our heritage.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36Characters in our nursery rhymes, myths and legends.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39And one particular beetle was thought to bring
0:21:39 > 0:21:41lightning strikes down to earth.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48Meet the most incredible beetle you'll ever find in the UK.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50The awesome stag beetle.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55Over the last 40 years, stag beetles have suffered
0:21:55 > 0:21:57a huge decline in their numbers.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00They're only found in the south-east corner of Britain
0:22:00 > 0:22:04and their natural woodland habitat is under threat.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09So our city gardens have become a vital refuge
0:22:09 > 0:22:12for these monarchs of the beetle world.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Growing up in Scotland, I never saw a stag beetle
0:22:17 > 0:22:20until I came south at the age of about 25.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24And the first time I saw one, I was absolutely blown away.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Most British beetles are small, retiring things,
0:22:27 > 0:22:31but these are big, boisterous, stunning creatures.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37The stag beetle's life cycle is one of the most astonishing I know.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41After hatching out, the larva spends up to seven years
0:22:41 > 0:22:43underground before it pupates.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46When the adult beetle finally emerges,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48it lives for just a few weeks,
0:22:48 > 0:22:51during which time, its only goal is to find a mate,
0:22:51 > 0:22:56using its menacing mandibles to fight off any rival males.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02These stag beetles haven't made it very far from where they grew up.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06As soon as they emerged, they fell prey to magpies.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10And their tough armour and jaws were no defence.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17It's vital we keep track of how many of these beetles
0:23:17 > 0:23:19make it to adulthood.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Colin Hawes runs the Suffolk stag beetle watch.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26When neighbours spot one in their garden, Colin is the guy to call.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30How much of a decline has there been in stag beetles in recent years?
0:23:30 > 0:23:32It's pretty serious.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36They've disappeared altogether from Denmark and Latvia,
0:23:36 > 0:23:38declining in Germany and France
0:23:38 > 0:23:40and we think they're declining here, too.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Gardens are just too tidy.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45And so there's no habitat for the larvae.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49But it's not just the lack of food that can be a problem.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51Paving and decking can trap the creatures underground.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Colin is taking me to a back garden
0:23:53 > 0:23:56where stag beetles have had a narrow escape.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01The greenhouse was once in the middle of the lawn,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03so they moved it to the side.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07- And right on top of a stag beetle breeding site.- Yeah.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09There's a hidden stump under there.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13It's rotting away and the larvae are feeing on it.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15The adults are emerging into the greenhouse.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18There's one up there, yes.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20- There he is.- Gorgeous. Male.- Yep.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24- Very active, too. - It's very hot in here.- Very hot.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26- He'll be active in that warmth. - He'll want a girl.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28He wants a girl, that's right.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37Just down the road in Colchester, stag beetles have friends, too.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41Locals call this wooded passageway, Stag Beetle Alley.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45And living next door is passionate beetle fan Maria Fremlin.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49She's turned her back garden into a beetle sanctuary.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52That is ideal habitat.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Absolutely. You cut a tree and you leave the stump.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59In a stag beetle area, you should never dig up the roots.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01You leave a tall stump
0:25:01 > 0:25:05and then you plant another tree to ensure succession.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06So now you know what to do
0:25:06 > 0:25:10if you want to encourage wood-feeding insects in your garden.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Leave stumps lying around, don't dig them out.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Maria's gone one step further,
0:25:15 > 0:25:19helping the larvae along with slow-rotting wood and leaves.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22And they appear to be thriving.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Now, inside this box, I can see things moving the soil.
0:25:25 > 0:25:30- What have you got in here? - We've got some wonderful larvae.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34- Oh, look at the size of them!- They've accumulated quite a bit of fat.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37So perhaps they are ready to pupate.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40See the head, come and have a look.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44It can be very difficult to tell if your dead tree or stump
0:25:44 > 0:25:46contains stag beetle larvae.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48You don't want to dig them up and disturb them.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51But there could be a clever way of finding out.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53And that's by listening in to their conversations.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Dave Chesmore has developed a microphone so sensitive,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01it can do just that.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Dave, you can actually eavesdrop on what's happening in this stump.
0:26:05 > 0:26:06That's right, yes.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10I have a contact microphone which picks up all the vibrations.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15- If there's a larva inside this stump chewing away, you'll hear it?- Yes.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17And also, we've got the stridulation sounds,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19which are deliberate sounds that the stag beetle
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- and the lesser stag beetle make. - As larvae?
0:26:22 > 0:26:24- As larvae, yes. - I can't wait to hear this.- OK.
0:26:26 > 0:26:27Have a listen.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31I think I can hear a slight... Yes, I heard it there.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34'Incredible! I'm hearing the actual sound
0:26:34 > 0:26:38'of the larva's jaws munching away inside the tree stump.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40'And now to hear its call.'
0:26:40 > 0:26:43- Here's one I prepared earlier(!) - HE LAUGHS
0:26:43 > 0:26:46- Stridulation. - CHIRPING
0:26:46 > 0:26:49That's a very distinctive sound.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51That's absolutely unmistakable.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Not chewing, not moving around.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56That's two parts of the insect being rubbed together.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Yeah. I'll play it again.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00CHIRPING
0:27:00 > 0:27:03It's not every day that you hear something or see something
0:27:03 > 0:27:05you've never heard or seen before.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07But that is absolutely amazing.
0:27:07 > 0:27:12'So this tree stump has proved to be a safe home for the stag beetle.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15'And hopefully will be for many years to come.'
0:27:17 > 0:27:21I would love more people to see these beetles for what they really are.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25Fantastic creatures living a precarious existence
0:27:25 > 0:27:27amongst our urban lives.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29So if you want to help them,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32and incidentally, lots of other wildlife, it couldn't be simpler.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Leave tree stumps and dead wood lying around and whatever you do,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40resist the urge to be too tidy in your garden.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47Britain's suburban gardens are so good for wildlife,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50they contain a greater variety of species per square metre
0:27:50 > 0:27:54than the equivalent area of the Amazon rainforest.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00Our flowers, lawns and shrubs offer wild creatures everything
0:28:00 > 0:28:02they need throughout their lives.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06And there is one other crucial factor - us.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Two out of three British households
0:28:10 > 0:28:13lend a hand to our wild neighbours in the form of food,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16water and a place to raise a family.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19It's thanks to our generosity that our gardens have become
0:28:19 > 0:28:23a five-star restaurant, hotel and service station for wildlife.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Well over 100 different kinds of birds
0:28:33 > 0:28:37now come to feeders in our gardens.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40But each year in London alone, an area of gardens
0:28:40 > 0:28:44the size of ten Olympic stadiums disappears under concrete.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48And the same thing is happening all over Britain.
0:28:50 > 0:28:55Our urban wildlife is being squeezed out of its homes.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59So we need to protect the gardens in our towns and cities.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02But what can you do to maximise your outdoor space?
0:29:02 > 0:29:06Our wildlife gardening expert Mike Dilger has some ideas.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14As much as us natural history fanatics would love every garden
0:29:14 > 0:29:18to be transformed into a dedicated wildlife zone,
0:29:18 > 0:29:20in reality, that's never going to happen.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25Our outdoor spaces are places where we park bikes or cars.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28So, how do we create a home for wildlife
0:29:28 > 0:29:32in a space that's small and already heavily used?
0:29:34 > 0:29:36A touch of greenery can be introduced
0:29:36 > 0:29:38into the most unusual places.
0:29:38 > 0:29:43One clever idea is to raise up your garden and put it on the roof.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Thierry Suzanne, a Frenchman living in East London,
0:29:48 > 0:29:50has plans to do just that.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53He'd like to bring the top of his bike shed to life.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59To encourage him, I've brought Thierry and his wife Sarah
0:29:59 > 0:30:02to see an urban roof flourishing with birds and wild flowers.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07And it's in one of the last places you'd expect.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16We're in the heart of the city of glass and steel,
0:30:16 > 0:30:19under the shadow of the Shard on London's South Bank.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30- Guys...check this out!- Wow!
0:30:30 > 0:30:32That's amazing!
0:30:32 > 0:30:34How cool!
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Slightly larger than your bike shed roof.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39Will my roof look like this?
0:30:39 > 0:30:42On a miniature scale, there's no reason why not.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47The building is only two years old,
0:30:47 > 0:30:50so this living roof is a very recent addition to the skyline.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55It was created with plants and flowers
0:30:55 > 0:30:57that can survive a dry environment,
0:30:57 > 0:30:59and already, others have moved in.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02This weed is called groundsel.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05And the seeds are really light and fluffy.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08And this would've blown up into the London sky,
0:31:08 > 0:31:09landed on this roof and colonised.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13And in the late summer, the seeds will provide food for birds.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15So it's evolving all the time.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17It'll get better and better and better with age.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20It's like a fine wine. You can understand that, being a Frenchman.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22- Fine wine, of course. - THEY LAUGH
0:31:24 > 0:31:27Amongst the flowers, different habitats have been designed
0:31:27 > 0:31:30to maximise the living space for wild creatures.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34You wouldn't think a pile of stones would be any good
0:31:34 > 0:31:35for any wildlife, would you?
0:31:35 > 0:31:37No, you wouldn't, but you imagine in there,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40it's the perfect area for insects to hibernate over winter.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42Ladybirds, for example, and bumblebees
0:31:42 > 0:31:45can easily hibernate down here, out of the frost.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48And this, of course, people think dead wood
0:31:48 > 0:31:50should just be placed on the fire,
0:31:50 > 0:31:54but these are the most fantastic habitat.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Because, basically, lots of invertebrates eat wood.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00If I peel this back... Oh, look, there's a woodlouse!
0:32:00 > 0:32:03You can see the woodlouse in there. And lots of wild flowers.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07You can see this is a lovely plant called yarrow.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09The honeybees will find this green roof
0:32:09 > 0:32:11from probably at least three miles away.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14So if there is a honey hive within three miles,
0:32:14 > 0:32:18I'm almost sure they're coming down to this roof to feed.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22Have a look at that. It's just dropped in.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25Oh, two of them, actually!
0:32:25 > 0:32:28- Oh, yeah!- Just wandering around, pied wagtails.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31It's one of those birds that does exactly what it says on the tin.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34It's pied, it's black and white, and it constantly wags its tail.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38And that's vindication that this green roof really works.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41They wouldn't be here without this habitat.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43Because the plants attract the insects
0:32:43 > 0:32:45and the insects, of course, attract the birds.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Back in East London, we're going to use the same ideas
0:32:54 > 0:32:56on a slightly smaller scale.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03A green roof is really just like a huge hanging basket.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Once you have a waterproof layer,
0:33:05 > 0:33:08you line it with felt for the plant roots to bury into.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12I have a certificate in dry stone walling, you know.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14Can you show me how it's done, please?
0:33:16 > 0:33:20Adding a stone wall creates hibernating space for invertebrates.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24A small area like this can really provide everything
0:33:24 > 0:33:26the insect about town could ever want.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29It's starting to look quite nice if you get down here, Thierry.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31There are some holes there.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33- It should be perfect. - THEY LAUGH
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Another layer of felt keeps the soil in place.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46I love getting my hands dirty.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52Do you know, that's great!
0:33:52 > 0:33:55I've never seen that on a bike shed roof before.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58And the important thing is this is not just any old soil, is it?
0:33:58 > 0:34:01It's quite poor, very low in nutrients
0:34:01 > 0:34:04and it includes things like recycled bricks in it.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Because if it was really rich, we'd get aggressive grasses
0:34:07 > 0:34:10and one or two species of flowering plants and they'd take over
0:34:10 > 0:34:13and then completely dominate. What you want is diversity.
0:34:13 > 0:34:14And that's why the soil is so critical.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17OK. One, two, three.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22Final step, put in the plants. What have you got?
0:34:22 > 0:34:26Some chives, marjoram, oregano, thyme and some lavender here.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28Kitchen herbs. I think it's brilliant.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31Because not only is it a different habitat for wildlife there,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34but it's also providing something extra for the kitchen.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36So we make it work twice.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42The great thing is they don't need a whole lot of maintenance.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Possibly a bit of weeding every now and again.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46Certainly won't need watering.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48I think everyone's going to be really jealous.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- It looks amazing. - The more it blossoms and matures,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58the more biological diversity you're going to attract.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01And it's a brilliant home for a whole variety of wildlife.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12You know, in the city, turning small or unusual places green
0:35:12 > 0:35:16can easily be done with just a little bit of imagination.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19So if you've got a concrete front garden,
0:35:19 > 0:35:22a roof like this or maybe just even a windowsill,
0:35:22 > 0:35:27given the opportunity, they'll all provide both bed and breakfast
0:35:27 > 0:35:29to a whole range of great British wildlife.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36If you've been inspired to turn your garden
0:35:36 > 0:35:38into a great place for wildlife,
0:35:38 > 0:35:41then Mike has loads of advice on our website.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43Along with information on what you can do to help save
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Britain's city creatures.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55Still to come, David Lindo goes in search of a much-loved songbird
0:35:55 > 0:35:58that has disappeared from our skies.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00ALL: Save the sparrow!
0:36:00 > 0:36:03And amongst the doom and gloom, a fabulous success story
0:36:03 > 0:36:08as I get a bird's-eye view of the fastest creature on the planet.
0:36:08 > 0:36:09This is the very first time I've done this.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12- Do you want me to hold the bird, or...?- Probably wise.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27Don't you just wish that after the daily grind of life in a city,
0:36:27 > 0:36:29there was a place that you could go
0:36:29 > 0:36:32that was serene and tranquil and full of wildlife?
0:36:39 > 0:36:42This is the London Wetland Centre.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46A wild oasis just six miles from London's West End.
0:36:48 > 0:36:53For the urban wildlife watcher, this place really is hard to beat.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00It borders one of the most crowded areas of London,
0:37:00 > 0:37:06yet incredibly, over 200 species of birds have been seen here.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15One of the things that sets this place apart is that it is big.
0:37:15 > 0:37:20It's 100 acres, the same size as 60 football pitches.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22That's a lot of land for the middle of a city.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25And what it shows is that when it comes to making a difference
0:37:25 > 0:37:28for urban wildlife, bigger really does mean better.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38As well as birds, this place is teeming with other wildlife.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41Including some species you'd never expect to see
0:37:41 > 0:37:43living wild in the heart of a city.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51And there are all kinds of hidden creatures
0:37:51 > 0:37:54that are easy to overlook.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59Check out this gorgeous bronze-coloured slowworm
0:37:59 > 0:38:03which is neither slow, nor a worm.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06It is, in fact, a legless lizard.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10The name comes from an old English phrase for slayer of worms,
0:38:10 > 0:38:13because they will eat worms, as well as slugs and snails.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15I'm handling this one...
0:38:15 > 0:38:18Whaa! ..pretty carefully.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20Not least because they're known to nip.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23And, er...when they nip,
0:38:23 > 0:38:25they apparently tear, as well.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28A technique for getting snails out of shells.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31Which, no doubt, will hurt a little bit.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35So there's your natural pest controller, native to this country.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37What a beaut!
0:38:43 > 0:38:49It's easy to imagine this amazing habitat has been here for ever.
0:38:49 > 0:38:50But until 20 years ago,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53all this was a mass of concrete reservoirs
0:38:53 > 0:38:56supplying Londoners with drinking water.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02This looks completely natural, doesn't it?
0:39:02 > 0:39:05But in actual fact, every single bit of it has been handcrafted.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07So we've got pools that have been dug here,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09islands have been created
0:39:09 > 0:39:13and tens of thousands of trees have been planted out there.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16All to create this perfectly natural-looking wetland habitat
0:39:16 > 0:39:19right in the middle of a city. Check out that skyline.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24The Wetland Centre was built in the mid '90s
0:39:24 > 0:39:28and was the first urban conservation project of its kind
0:39:28 > 0:39:29anywhere in the world.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33Amazingly, it's all thanks to the vision of one man.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41Sir Peter Scott was the son of Captain Scott of the Antarctic.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44He was a renowned wildlife artist.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47And even more importantly, he was the godfather of conservation.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51Peter helped found the World Wildlife Fund
0:39:51 > 0:39:55and was instrumental in protecting the world's wetlands.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59His ambition was to create a nature reserve in the heart of London
0:39:59 > 0:40:01to bring people and wildlife together.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09Sadly, he died before his dream became a reality.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13But every year, more than a quarter of a million visitors
0:40:13 > 0:40:15get to enjoy the fruits of his vision.
0:40:20 > 0:40:25His legacy demonstrates how one person can make a real difference
0:40:25 > 0:40:27and how we have to be proactive
0:40:27 > 0:40:30to ensure that wildlife doesn't vanish from our cities.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36That is exactly what's happened to one of our best-loved city birds.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39David Lindo is a lifelong Londoner and a fanatical bird-watcher
0:40:39 > 0:40:42and so he really wants to find out why.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51Since I was a little boy, there's been one bird that has actually
0:40:51 > 0:40:55declined more than any other in the whole of the United Kingdom.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57I've always loved this bird,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00partly because it belongs to the city, just like I do.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05But here in London and cities throughout the UK,
0:41:05 > 0:41:07you'd be lucky to find even one.
0:41:10 > 0:41:11The house sparrow.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13Once a staple of urban life,
0:41:13 > 0:41:17it's disappeared from many places where it used to be common.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24For hundreds of years, the cheerful, chatty call
0:41:24 > 0:41:28of these little brown birds has been part of our urban landscape,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30the soundtrack to our city lives.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35But sadly today, their chirruping and chirping
0:41:35 > 0:41:39has all but disappeared from many of our city centres.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43I bet most Londoners have absolutely no idea
0:41:43 > 0:41:45that this humble little brown bird
0:41:45 > 0:41:49has been slowly vanishing without trace.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57- Four birds here.- OK. - This is a red kite.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00That's a robin. House sparrow.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02And that's a golden eagle.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06Which do you think is the most threatened in the UK?
0:42:06 > 0:42:07I think it's the robin.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09Maybe the eagle.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Um, you hardly see robins.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13- The golden eagle.- Yeah?
0:42:13 > 0:42:17- Maybe the golden eagle.- You may not believe it, but it's actually the sparrow.- Is it really?- Yeah.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20When was the last time you saw a sparrow in London?
0:42:20 > 0:42:22I don't actually remember.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25- Why?- That's a big question.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27And there's no simple answer
0:42:27 > 0:42:32because many other common birds like robins and blue tits are thriving.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35I've come back to my childhood home
0:42:35 > 0:42:38where there were hundreds of sparrows when I was a kid.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42I'm here in Wembley, North London, and this is where it all began for me
0:42:42 > 0:42:48when it came to birds. I saw my first ever sparrow on this very street.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50'The house sparrow means everything to me.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53'My passion for wildlife was born from it.'
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- How are you?- I'm fine, thank you. And you?
0:42:56 > 0:42:57Doing good, yeah. Doing good.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00He used to stand at the window in his bedroom
0:43:00 > 0:43:02and watch them from there.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06My mum got me my first-ever pair of binoculars when I was eight years
0:43:06 > 0:43:08old. Do you remember when I was hassling you to get me a pair?
0:43:08 > 0:43:13- You got them on hire purchase, didn't you? Was it £14.99?- 14.99.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15On HP which was a lot of money in those days.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19I used to stand right here
0:43:19 > 0:43:21and put my feet on this bit here
0:43:21 > 0:43:25and look out into the back gardens.
0:43:25 > 0:43:29But I can't see sparrows from this window anymore.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31There were quite a few of them.
0:43:31 > 0:43:35They were very numerous and the most obvious bird to be seen.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38That was when I was five and I kind of grew up with them.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41There were a lot more hedgerows and trees.
0:43:41 > 0:43:46Now, a tonne more wooden fencing and a lot less bushes
0:43:46 > 0:43:50so the habitat's changed considerably.
0:43:50 > 0:43:52I just took them for granted,
0:43:52 > 0:43:54and now I've come back
0:43:54 > 0:43:56and I can't even see one.
0:43:59 > 0:44:02The fact that kids are growing up without sparrows,
0:44:02 > 0:44:06it's a sad loss and I think we need to turn that completely round.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15Since Bobby Moore lifted the World Cup
0:44:15 > 0:44:19just down the road from here in 1966,
0:44:19 > 0:44:22over 20 million house sparrows have disappeared
0:44:22 > 0:44:25and I want to find out what has gone wrong.
0:44:30 > 0:44:32It's cold out there.
0:44:32 > 0:44:35'I've been visiting one place in central London for years
0:44:35 > 0:44:38'where I know there's still a surviving colony of sparrows
0:44:38 > 0:44:41'and maybe some answers to why they have declined.'
0:44:43 > 0:44:45Have you seen any recently, cos you're a cab driver,
0:44:45 > 0:44:47you're travelling over London all the time?
0:44:47 > 0:44:51No, I don't see many around at all, actually. In the past, yeah.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55When I was a kid, we always used to see the sparrows.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58I mean, as we're driving around, there's nothing in the sky
0:44:58 > 0:45:00or even in the trees there, is there?
0:45:00 > 0:45:02Now, it's just pigeons.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09Sparrows are creatures of habit.
0:45:09 > 0:45:13Once they've found a place to live, they rarely wander very far away.
0:45:13 > 0:45:15CHIRPING
0:45:15 > 0:45:17I can hear chirping.
0:45:19 > 0:45:23There must be about 20 of them. You can hear the musical sounds.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Fantastic to hear the chirping.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29If you're lucky enough to stumble across a colony of sparrows,
0:45:29 > 0:45:31they're shy creatures and easily startled,
0:45:31 > 0:45:35but give them a moment to settle down and their cheeky chirps will return.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41It's great. You can sit here and just chill
0:45:41 > 0:45:44and then all of a sudden they'll start coming to you. It's fantastic.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47Against the odds, this colony has survived
0:45:47 > 0:45:51with food provided by locals, shrubbery to protect them
0:45:51 > 0:45:53from predators such as cats and sparrowhawks
0:45:53 > 0:45:55and spaces to nest.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00'But there's more to the mystery surrounding their decline
0:46:00 > 0:46:04'and hopefully, the woman I'm about to meet can provide some answers.'
0:46:07 > 0:46:11Daria Dadam has been studying the humble sparrow for six years.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15Why are there sparrows here and not anywhere else?
0:46:15 > 0:46:18Well, it is quite a tricky question and this is probably
0:46:18 > 0:46:21THE main question that people want to know, really.
0:46:21 > 0:46:25One is loss of habitat. For example, housing renovation.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28That takes away nesting sites.
0:46:28 > 0:46:29Second one is loss of food.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33The streets are much cleaner and there's less food for the sparrows.
0:46:33 > 0:46:37I've heard another one which is to do with petrol, unleaded petrol.
0:46:37 > 0:46:42Yes. So, the idea was that unleaded petrol has some VOC,
0:46:42 > 0:46:47volatile organic compounds, that actually kill aphids.
0:46:47 > 0:46:52And these little insects are vital food for sparrow chicks.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55Sparrows share our cities with other birds like robins, blue tits,
0:46:55 > 0:46:59blackbirds, how come they are so badly affected though?
0:46:59 > 0:47:03The answer is probably to do with the sedentary nature of the species.
0:47:03 > 0:47:08House sparrows don't like to move very far from the colony at all.
0:47:08 > 0:47:12Because they don't travel far, if their habitat is taken away,
0:47:12 > 0:47:14they will struggle to find a new home.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18What can we do to help save sparrows?
0:47:18 > 0:47:21Provide them with nesting sites,
0:47:21 > 0:47:24food, and the most important thing, I think,
0:47:24 > 0:47:26is keep your eyes open and keep monitoring.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28Report it to the British Trust for Ornithology.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31We can monitor and try to save the species.
0:47:33 > 0:47:34We still don't have all the answers,
0:47:34 > 0:47:39but we've got to act now to save the few colonies that remain
0:47:39 > 0:47:41so we can solve the deeper mysteries
0:47:41 > 0:47:43that people like Daria are investigating.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49If we work together, we CAN save the sparrow
0:47:49 > 0:47:52and down in East London, they're doing just that.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57At a city farm, the next generation of children are lending a hand.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04- What's that chirping?- Sparrow.
0:48:04 > 0:48:05Let's find it.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09- That's a crow.- No, that one.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11That's funny looking, but it isn't a crow.
0:48:11 > 0:48:13A magpie maybe.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17We're getting warmer. Look, look. There's one there. Look.
0:48:17 > 0:48:22- Oh, yeah!- Did you say you'd do a dance once we found the sparrows?
0:48:22 > 0:48:25- Yeah.- The stage is yours.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28'It's great seeing kids getting as excited about birds
0:48:28 > 0:48:29'as I did when I was growing up.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33'And they're taking the next important step -
0:48:33 > 0:48:36'building special nest boxes to encourage
0:48:36 > 0:48:40'the last few surviving sparrows to make their home and start a family.'
0:48:43 > 0:48:46House sparrows seriously need our help, not just in London,
0:48:46 > 0:48:48but across the whole of the nation.
0:48:48 > 0:48:52So, I'd like YOU to join me to bring sparrows back.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55ALL: Save our sparrows!
0:48:55 > 0:48:56Peace out.
0:49:04 > 0:49:06I think it's pretty shocking that the house sparrow,
0:49:06 > 0:49:08a bird that was so common we took it for granted,
0:49:08 > 0:49:11is in this much trouble. But while there are some animals
0:49:11 > 0:49:14in need of our help, there are plenty of others
0:49:14 > 0:49:17that have turned a corner and are making an impressive comeback.
0:49:18 > 0:49:23And the biggest urban success story of all is a spectacular bird,
0:49:23 > 0:49:25a real record-breaker.
0:49:25 > 0:49:29At a top speed of almost 250 miles-per-hour,
0:49:29 > 0:49:31it's quicker than a Formula One car
0:49:31 > 0:49:35and more than three times as fast as a cheetah.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40It's not only the fastest bird in the world,
0:49:40 > 0:49:46but the fastest of several million species that live on planet Earth.
0:49:46 > 0:49:48The peregrine falcon.
0:49:54 > 0:49:58The peregrine hunts like no other bird.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02It rises high into the sky until it spots a pigeon flying below,
0:50:02 > 0:50:06then it folds its wings and plummets down towards Earth,
0:50:06 > 0:50:09using the force of gravity and its streamlined shape
0:50:09 > 0:50:11to reach incredible speeds
0:50:11 > 0:50:14before striking its unsuspecting prey.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19The peregrine can now be seen hunting across almost every major
0:50:19 > 0:50:23city skyline in Britain, from Cardiff to Manchester,
0:50:23 > 0:50:26Edinburgh, all the way down to Bath,
0:50:26 > 0:50:30and now finally it's arrived at the easternmost city in the UK
0:50:30 > 0:50:32here in Norwich.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38Norwich is said to have a pub for every day of the year
0:50:38 > 0:50:41and a church for every Sunday.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44Of all its magnificent churches,
0:50:44 > 0:50:49none is taller than the city's splendid 900-year-old cathedral.
0:50:49 > 0:50:52And this is where a pair of peregrines has chosen to nest
0:50:52 > 0:50:54and raise a family.
0:50:54 > 0:50:58What I can see from down here is the box the chicks are in.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02Occasionally, either the male or the female will be back.
0:51:02 > 0:51:07Peregrines first set up home on the spire in 2009.
0:51:07 > 0:51:09They liked what they saw and stayed
0:51:09 > 0:51:13and now are breeding here on a specially-made nesting platform.
0:51:14 > 0:51:18If I'd have been here 50 years ago, I wouldn't have seen any peregrines.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22In fact, I'd have struggled to find one across the whole of Britain.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28Peregrine numbers nosedived during the Second World War.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31RAF pilots carried homing pigeons to send messages
0:51:31 > 0:51:32if they were shot down,
0:51:32 > 0:51:35but because peregrines killed many of these pigeons,
0:51:35 > 0:51:39they became public enemy number one and were ruthlessly killed.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45After the war, things got even worse because of DDT,
0:51:45 > 0:51:50a lethal chemical pesticide which thinned the birds' eggshells,
0:51:50 > 0:51:52plunging their population into freefall.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57By the 1980s when DDT was finally banned,
0:51:57 > 0:52:00only a couple of hundred pairs remained in the UK
0:52:00 > 0:52:04and the peregrine was on the brink of extinction here.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11Fortunately, they bounced back
0:52:11 > 0:52:15and then, to everyone's amazement, moved into our cities,
0:52:15 > 0:52:17making their homes on tall buildings.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21To a peregrine, a medieval cathedral
0:52:21 > 0:52:24is the ideal place to raise a family.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27The spire is the urban equivalent of a mountainous crag
0:52:27 > 0:52:30or a sea cliff and it gives them
0:52:30 > 0:52:32a bird's-eye view of their territory.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35Norwich is so proud of its newest residents
0:52:35 > 0:52:39that a team of dedicated volunteers have set up watch
0:52:39 > 0:52:42to monitor the welfare of the birds and show them to passers-by.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44They've even installed a webcam
0:52:44 > 0:52:49to gain a privileged insight into the peregrines' family life.
0:52:49 > 0:52:53It must be quite a surprise for people in the middle of a city
0:52:53 > 0:52:55to get what you'd assume to be quite a rural spectacle.
0:52:55 > 0:52:59It is surprising and quite frequently we have people coming in
0:52:59 > 0:53:02and saying, "I saw peregrines out of my bedroom window
0:53:02 > 0:53:04"and I told my husband and he wouldn't believe me."
0:53:04 > 0:53:07For many, many years, we've had to go miles to actually see
0:53:07 > 0:53:09peregrines, but to have them living on the cathedral,
0:53:09 > 0:53:12on the spire, right in the middle of the city, it's pretty astonishing.
0:53:12 > 0:53:16- How successful have they been here? - Last year, two successfully fledged.
0:53:16 > 0:53:18This year, same pair, four chicks,
0:53:18 > 0:53:22so it's hopefully going to be more successful than last year.
0:53:22 > 0:53:24Local people will come down every day,
0:53:24 > 0:53:26watching the young growing and watching them
0:53:26 > 0:53:28catching their food and growing older and just getting bigger.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30It's got a huge fan club.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33So if the chicks don't fledge, that presumably has an impact on people?
0:53:33 > 0:53:36It does, yes. You get really emotionally attached to them,
0:53:36 > 0:53:39even though you're only watching them on the webcam and seeing them flying around,
0:53:39 > 0:53:44you can get really caught up in all aspects of their life.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51For the first six weeks of their life,
0:53:51 > 0:53:54the young peregrines remain in the nest,
0:53:54 > 0:53:56being fed and looked after by their parents.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01And this means I can join the volunteers and help ring them
0:54:01 > 0:54:06IF I can manage the 318 steps and six ladders to the top.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15(You've got to fight vertigo to get through this.
0:54:15 > 0:54:17- (Do you do that all the time?- Yes.
0:54:19 > 0:54:22(It's a very narrow and very steep getting up here.
0:54:22 > 0:54:25(The next thing we've got to do is get the window out
0:54:25 > 0:54:28(and then try and get hold of the chicks.)
0:54:28 > 0:54:30WIND WHISTLES
0:54:33 > 0:54:35There's one.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38The chicks are placed into individual bags
0:54:38 > 0:54:39which helps to keep them calm.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42This is so exciting. They're looking all right, aren't they?
0:54:42 > 0:54:45- Yeah, they're fine. Quite heavy. - Yeah, yeah.
0:54:45 > 0:54:47'Phil Littler is a licensed ringer
0:54:47 > 0:54:50'who has handled many hundreds of birds.'
0:54:50 > 0:54:52All I need to do is get two legs out.
0:54:52 > 0:54:56- Do you get many nips from doing this?- No. No.
0:54:56 > 0:54:58Having said that, we'll probably get a few today.
0:54:58 > 0:55:02The process involves putting a small ring
0:55:02 > 0:55:05with a unique identification code onto the leg of each chick.
0:55:05 > 0:55:08Why is it important to you to do it?
0:55:08 > 0:55:13It is important to me because I just love hawks and owls.
0:55:13 > 0:55:17To see a bird that has come back from the edge of extinction
0:55:17 > 0:55:19and is now breeding successfully,
0:55:19 > 0:55:23I can't put into words what a buzz it gives me.
0:55:23 > 0:55:27Ringing takes about 30 seconds and causes the chick no pain.
0:55:27 > 0:55:32It helps us learn more about these birds and safeguards their future.
0:55:32 > 0:55:38- How old's this one?- This one hatched on 30th April or 1st May.
0:55:38 > 0:55:41- So this is approximately three weeks old.- Three weeks old!
0:55:41 > 0:55:43Growing very nicely too.
0:55:43 > 0:55:45The feathers are just starting to come through.
0:55:45 > 0:55:49- Yeah, I can see those.- OK.- How fabulous.- That's the first one done.
0:55:49 > 0:55:51With three more chicks to go,
0:55:51 > 0:55:54time for me to ring my first peregrine
0:55:54 > 0:55:56under Phil's careful supervision.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59- Oh, the spikes on there! - We keep it tucked in.
0:55:59 > 0:56:04- So that's... This is the bird's right leg. OK?- OK.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08- You've got to put the ring on that. - You can feel that heartbeat.- Yeah.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11Do you want me to hold the bird?
0:56:11 > 0:56:13Probably wise. I couldn't bear to hurt it.
0:56:13 > 0:56:17I'll hold the bird's legs, then if you can put the ring on...
0:56:19 > 0:56:23- Go down a bit. That's it.- Happy there?- Yeah.- Such a responsibility.
0:56:23 > 0:56:27Slowly squeeze it shut. There you go.
0:56:27 > 0:56:31Then we just make sure that nothing can go in that ring by putting
0:56:31 > 0:56:34- that in there. If that can't go in there, that's fine.- You're happy.
0:56:34 > 0:56:37- That's it.- What we want to hope for is that T4
0:56:37 > 0:56:40will either come back here and breed in future years
0:56:40 > 0:56:41or we see him breeding elsewhere.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44Breeding elsewhere would be fabulous, wouldn't it?
0:56:50 > 0:56:53There they are. All safely back in the nest.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00It's really incredible to think in about three weeks,
0:57:00 > 0:57:03they'll be out hunting over this cityscape.
0:57:03 > 0:57:06It's really thanks to people like Phil and their dedication,
0:57:06 > 0:57:09their guarding of the nest, their championing of the cause
0:57:09 > 0:57:12of the peregrine that we have them back here in the UK
0:57:12 > 0:57:13where they belong.
0:57:21 > 0:57:23The story of the peregrine reminds us
0:57:23 > 0:57:27that however much we think we know about the natural world,
0:57:27 > 0:57:30it always has the capacity to surprise us.
0:57:32 > 0:57:36We have a responsibility to protect our urban wildlife,
0:57:36 > 0:57:39not just for the sake of the creatures that live here,
0:57:39 > 0:57:42but because it matters so much to us.
0:57:43 > 0:57:46For if we lose touch with nature, we lose touch with who we are.
0:57:48 > 0:57:52Sometimes it's the creatures that are right under our noses,
0:57:52 > 0:57:56the ones that we take for granted, that mean most to us
0:57:56 > 0:57:58and that's why we should all try and save
0:57:58 > 0:58:01Britain's amazing urban wildlife.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06'Next time on Britain's Big Wildlife Revival,
0:58:06 > 0:58:08'our river wildlife is in the spotlight...'
0:58:08 > 0:58:11Just below me. Very, very lucky.
0:58:11 > 0:58:14'..Mike Dilger soars over a wildlife garden...'
0:58:14 > 0:58:16Unleash the hexacopter!
0:58:18 > 0:58:20'..and I pursue a spectacular river creature
0:58:20 > 0:58:22'that's come back from the brink.'
0:58:22 > 0:58:24Oh, he's just gone under...
0:58:24 > 0:58:26Squeezy.
0:58:36 > 0:58:39Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd