0:00:02 > 0:00:06When somebody says the words "wildlife show" to you, you probably think of this.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14Well, this is a wildlife show with a difference
0:00:14 > 0:00:18cos we're uncovering creatures right under our noses in towns and cities across the Midlands.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22'From the legless lizards of Worcester...' He's smiling!
0:00:23 > 0:00:26'..to the night-time revellers in Nuneaton.'
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Those claws look quite vicious.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31I'm Johny Pitts and over the next 30 minutes,
0:00:31 > 0:00:34we're going on safari in our urban jungle.
0:00:54 > 0:00:59Welcome to Birmingham. There are over 80 species of birds living here in the city
0:00:59 > 0:01:04and a good way to spot some of them is from on the top of a double-decker bus.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06But there are two newcomers in town
0:01:06 > 0:01:10and it's quite strange because we're 82 miles away from the nearest beach.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12I'm talking about seagulls.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14I want to know why they're all heading inland
0:01:14 > 0:01:19and I think I know just the right man who can help - urban birder David Lindo.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26'Post-war Britain was boom time for our cities.
0:01:26 > 0:01:32'Those who saw the opportunities moved in and their numbers are still growing.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35'Gulls - the ultimate opportunists.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40'By the 1980s, as punk became pop and minimalist loft apartments made city living cool,
0:01:40 > 0:01:44'these coastal migrants started to settle. But why?
0:01:45 > 0:01:49'Urban birder David Lindo explores the wildlife in our cities
0:01:49 > 0:01:52'and he's going to take me on a bird-watching tour of Brum
0:01:52 > 0:01:55'to discover why it's become so appealing to our seaside friends.'
0:01:55 > 0:02:01There are a lot of gulls in Birmingham City Centre and they came up the Severn Estuary,
0:02:01 > 0:02:05they first of all colonised Bristol, then moved on into Gloucester
0:02:05 > 0:02:09and then they've ended up here, but they're going to be moving on, I'm sure.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12And it's fantastic. They've taken advantage of the fact that in cities,
0:02:12 > 0:02:18there are plenty of nesting places and lots of areas for them to feed in and they love it here.
0:02:18 > 0:02:23This bird's flown to North Africa and back several times in its life
0:02:23 > 0:02:26and what has he seen on his journeys? Yeah.
0:02:26 > 0:02:27What sort of things has he flown across?
0:02:29 > 0:02:34So, David, I've seen lots of gulls but we're not by the sea, so I'm guessing these aren't seagulls.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39Well, the word seagull is a romantic, stereotypical word
0:02:39 > 0:02:43which sort of encapsulates visions of going to the seaside
0:02:43 > 0:02:46with your candyfloss and your stick of rock
0:02:46 > 0:02:49and sitting in your deckchair and the gulls flying around nicking your ice creams,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52and people call them seagulls because they're by the sea.
0:02:52 > 0:02:57But in reality, there are around about 25 different species of gull
0:02:57 > 0:03:00that occur in Britain in some stage or another,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03and regular species, there's probably about six or seven
0:03:03 > 0:03:05that regularly visit Birmingham, for example.
0:03:05 > 0:03:11Right. So it's actually quite a wide range of species that people don't actually realise.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13'And I thought you knew one gull, you knew them all.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16'But there are loads of different species.'
0:03:16 > 0:03:20I can just look up and I can see... Just by the shape?
0:03:20 > 0:03:25..just by the shape what's more likely to be a herring gull or a lesser black gull.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29So if I was to see a group of gulls in a city centre,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32how would I tell them apart, the type of gulls we find in Birmingham?
0:03:32 > 0:03:36In an instant, the ones with the pearl grey back of the wings
0:03:36 > 0:03:38and black wing tips are herring gulls.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41They have pink legs.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43And lesser black-backed gulls are much darker on their wing
0:03:43 > 0:03:48with blacker wing tips and they've got yellow legs. Simple as that.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53'David has spent his life watching birds in the city,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56'so while I head out to find out more about gulls,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59'I want him to hit the streets and see what else he can spot.'
0:03:59 > 0:04:04I want to set you a little challenge. Will you have a look at other interesting species of birds
0:04:04 > 0:04:06that we might be able to find here in Birmingham?
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Now, that's a challenge I can't say no to.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11You know what I'm like. I love a challenge.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15And I will do that. In fact, I'm going now. See you later. That's what I like to hear.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21So, the urban gulls are here. You can hear them all around.
0:04:21 > 0:04:26But exactly how many are there and how many could there be in our cities in years to come?
0:04:28 > 0:04:32'I'm with bird expert Jim Winsper at Birmingham Wholesale Market.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35'Apparently it's one of the largest gull nesting sites in the city
0:04:35 > 0:04:38'and he's been monitoring the birds' breeding habits.'
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Within the Birmingham boundary,
0:04:40 > 0:04:46there are up to 600 pairs of breeding lesser black-backed gulls
0:04:46 > 0:04:50and in excess of 30 pairs of breeding herring gulls.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Now, are these numbers on the increase, then?
0:04:53 > 0:04:58They certainly have the potential to increase. I mean, with every breeding year,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00there's the massive youngsters reproduced
0:05:00 > 0:05:05and the potential to expand in every colony within that Birmingham area
0:05:05 > 0:05:08is there. They can certainly do so.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13'So what is it about Britain's second city that's made them stay?'
0:05:13 > 0:05:1850 years ago, these birds were very scarce
0:05:18 > 0:05:21passage migrants or visitors to the whole region.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24And then, in the mid-50s,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27the needs of the human population
0:05:27 > 0:05:30provided extensive reservoirs for our drinking needs,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34massive waterways, and these birds took advantage of that.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38They need a safe roost, they need somewhere to stay at night,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41and these reservoirs provided that perfectly safe roost for them.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45So there's no need to continue their journey and they were able to stay here,
0:05:45 > 0:05:48and over winter, roosting on those reservoirs.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53'So, it was the sanctuary of the city that appealed to the gulls.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58'And once they experience city living, they don't seem to want to go back to the sea.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01'Their numbers at the coast are declining
0:06:01 > 0:06:04'and herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls
0:06:04 > 0:06:06'are on the red and amber conservation lists.'
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Well, I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with them.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12These birds are proper opportunists.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16The way they've just moved in here and made it their home is incredible.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20But I've got one more question. Why, when they could be chilling out by our spectacular coastline,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23have they decided to stay here in our city?
0:06:23 > 0:06:27'Time to meet back up with David, who's got some answers.'
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Gulls are opportunists.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34They're scavengers by nature and in cities it's fantastic
0:06:34 > 0:06:38because we leave so much garbage everywhere, they've got rich pickings.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43But, naturally, they do take chicks and other weak animals,
0:06:43 > 0:06:47so if they saw a young bird somewhere, they would, you know, grab it.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50But no big effect on the general scheme of things.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52So they're not going to wipe out any other bird species at all?
0:06:52 > 0:06:57Not at all, no. I mean, it's all part of the natural equilibrium of life, really,
0:06:57 > 0:07:02so they just fit in and they are beautiful, I love looking at them. Yeah, me, too.
0:07:02 > 0:07:09'And once you start looking up, you spot all sorts of birds you could be walking past every day.'
0:07:09 > 0:07:12David, we're talking about gulls, but you've just noticed
0:07:12 > 0:07:17one of their seaside neighbours, a peregrine falcon up there on that tower. What are they doing here?
0:07:17 > 0:07:22Well, it's interesting, peregrines have become a recent colonist of cities,
0:07:22 > 0:07:26and in Birmingham they've been here for a few years now.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30Now, peregrines were initially birds of cliffs and mountainsides
0:07:30 > 0:07:33and they've come to cities and they've seen these tall buildings
0:07:33 > 0:07:36and thought, "This is fantastic! This is a cliff!"
0:07:36 > 0:07:41So, David, as we know, we find gulls and falcons coexisting on the coast
0:07:41 > 0:07:45and they're kind of replicating that in the city centre.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48That's an interesting way of putting it, cos that really is the case, I suppose,
0:07:48 > 0:07:53because both sets of birds use buildings as cliffs
0:07:53 > 0:07:55and that was their natural habitat back...
0:07:55 > 0:08:03In fact, they still do live along coastal areas as well as inland areas in wilder parts of Britain.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05But, yeah, there is that sort of synergy there.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09But they are very distinct in terms of how they behave, they don't operate together.
0:08:10 > 0:08:15'And if the trend continues, urban gulls may one day rival pigeons
0:08:15 > 0:08:17'as the ultimate feathered scavenger.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24'Now, David spotted a peregrine, but what else has he seen around town today?'
0:08:25 > 0:08:29It's been great to learn about gulls and why they upped sticks and came to the city centre
0:08:29 > 0:08:34and I've also learnt about the two different types of gulls that inhabit Birmingham.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36But did you manage to find anything else here?
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Well, in around about five to ten minutes,
0:08:39 > 0:08:43I found a selection of interesting things. For example, I found this,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45which is a pied wagtail.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49Lovely bird, very small, tail that bounces like that, black and white.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53One lovely thing we saw was a bunch of young blue tits
0:08:53 > 0:08:56and they were just hanging in trees
0:08:56 > 0:09:00gleaning little insects and stuff off the backs of leaves. That was really nice.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03And also, we had a mistle thrush. Now, a mistle thrush
0:09:03 > 0:09:07is very similar to a song thrush, so it's got spots on its chest,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09but a mistle thrush is a big, proud bird,
0:09:09 > 0:09:14brownish/greyish looking, it's the biggest thrush in Britain,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18and what I love about them, they've got character. They defend their nests.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21If you go too near the nest, they'll actually attack you.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23And I love that. They've got feistiness.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26It's one of those things. Some of these birds are common in the city
0:09:26 > 0:09:30but we don't think of our city environment as somewhere where we can find nature,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33so it's all about learning how to look. That's right.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Once you open your eyes and you begin to be aware,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40you'll be amazed as to how many things are flying around.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44I'm looking around now and seeing stuff flying over our heads as we speak.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46And it's amazing, a whole new world opens up for you.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49David, you've definitely inspired me.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51I don't think I'll ever look at the city in the same way again.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56Can we do a bit of bird-watching together? You know what? Let's do it. Brilliant.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04I tell you what, it's harder than it looks trying to spot a herring gull in town.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07But maybe you got lucky like us and managed to track one down.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12Just go to our website and let me know.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Or even better, upload a photo
0:10:14 > 0:10:17of the birds you've managed to track down in the city.
0:10:20 > 0:10:26Coming up later, some green-fingered children from Worcester go hunting for legless lizards.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29He looks like he's smiling!
0:10:29 > 0:10:34But first... Many towns and cities were built around waterways like this.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37That's because they were an essential way of transporting goods
0:10:37 > 0:10:40and providing water for heavy industry back in the day.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Then they were polluted and wildlife-free,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44but now they've cleaned up their act, waterways like this
0:10:44 > 0:10:48are very good places to do some urban wildlife spotting.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52David Gregory-Kumar is out in Warwickshire on the hunt for the elusive otter.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58This busy spot in Rugby is full of people driving backwards and forwards,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01going to school, going to work, going shopping.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04But it's not just the humans who are dashing backwards and forwards here,
0:11:04 > 0:11:10because underneath our feet, there's a secretive but growing population of otters.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16'But how do we know that the elusive otter is getting brave and heading into our towns and cities?
0:11:16 > 0:11:19'Well, my hunt for the little fellas begins here,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22'with Peter Sanders from Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.'
0:11:22 > 0:11:26So, Pete, what evidence do you have down here for otters?
0:11:26 > 0:11:31Well, David, if you follow me just down here,
0:11:31 > 0:11:35if you look there, you can see some poo.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38That's otter poo. Its proper name is spraint.
0:11:38 > 0:11:43And all this is right beneath the traffic thundering over? Oh, yeah.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47People are wandering above us here day and night
0:11:47 > 0:11:50and they won't have a clue as to what's going on down here.
0:11:50 > 0:11:56And this is regularly sprainted, so we know they pass through here.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59And if we look down there,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03we can see a whole series of otter footprints.
0:12:03 > 0:12:08Five toes, spaced apart like that.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11There's a fairly clear one there.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14That's fantastic. That's the clearest otter print I've ever seen.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18'So the poo and the prints are here.
0:12:18 > 0:12:23'Seems like a good place to put a camera, and that's exactly what the Wildlife Trust have done.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28'It'd be great to capture some otters on film and prove they're back, loving city living.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34'For most people, though, the best chance of seeing any kind of otter is in captivity.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39'Staff here at the Sea Life Centre are working with the Canals And Rivers Trust to try and change that.'
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Otters have been spotted on the Birmingham and Black Country canals
0:12:44 > 0:12:47down towards Wolverhampton and so we're currently working on a project
0:12:47 > 0:12:51to make sure their habitats are protected and to keep them in the area.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01'Conservation for otters is all about helping them move around.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05'But for another endangered species, the important thing is they stay put,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08'cut off from the rest of Warwickshire's waterways.
0:13:09 > 0:13:14'Nuneaton, home to 80,000 people and 100,000 very rare crustaceans.'
0:13:16 > 0:13:20This is Ensor's Pool and it's a surprising refuge
0:13:20 > 0:13:23for one of the UK's most endangered species.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27'So, by day, a tranquil inner-city spot,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30'but by night, a party playground for the crayfish.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32'So we've come back to take a look.'
0:13:35 > 0:13:39That's a male. That's a big male. About as big as they get.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41So, this is the native crayfish. This is, yes.
0:13:41 > 0:13:47Which I thought was really rare, but we have seen loads so far this evening. Why are there so many here?
0:13:47 > 0:13:49It's a fantastic site for them, really.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52It's got everything they need. It's fairly clean water.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56It's got no predation, no signal crayfish here
0:13:56 > 0:14:00and it's got lots of refuge, places they can hide underneath during the day.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02And, of course, they've come out now at night.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08'Nobody knows how they got here, but they're thriving.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10'In the rest of the UK, it's a very different story.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14'Crayfish plague, carried by invading American crayfish,
0:14:14 > 0:14:16'has wiped out much of our native population.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21'So you can't just wade in and grab one. Stefan has a special licence to do this.'
0:14:21 > 0:14:23If we brought that plague in,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26how quickly would it affect the population?
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Within days. And within a couple of weeks, we'd have no crayfish.
0:14:29 > 0:14:34They'd be gone. It's not like, you know, two percent survive or one percent,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37the whole lot goes, so it just wipes the whole lot out.
0:14:37 > 0:14:43They'd all be dead within a few days if the crayfish plague hit the site.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47'This pool is called an ark population.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51'Basically, the crayfish are isolated, safe from predators and disease.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56'So urban development has actually created a safe haven, the perfect nursery for nature.'
0:14:57 > 0:15:00It's a little island of safety for them.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04And that's what we're looking at in terms of maintaining this species,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07is just having these dotted around the country
0:15:07 > 0:15:11in areas which are separated by urbanisation from the signals.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23'So there's a wealth of urban wildlife in lots of our cities' waterways,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26'like the comeback kid, the otter.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30'It would've been unheard of to see an otter in the city in the 1960s.'
0:15:30 > 0:15:33They were extinct in Warwickshire
0:15:33 > 0:15:37and in virtually the whole of Middle England in the 60s
0:15:37 > 0:15:40and this was due to organochlorine poisoning in the main.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42'In the 1950s and 1960s,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44'pollutants from industry and farming
0:15:44 > 0:15:49'flooded into the rivers where the otters lived and they died out in many parts of the UK.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52'But now they're returning. So what changed?'
0:15:52 > 0:15:56Well, it was done by a natural recovery process
0:15:56 > 0:16:00based on habitat improvement, and that started really
0:16:00 > 0:16:04by the appointment of three rivers and otters project officers
0:16:04 > 0:16:06covering the whole of the Midlands
0:16:06 > 0:16:10and they started a programme with volunteers like myself
0:16:10 > 0:16:15to enhance the habitats by building more artificial otter holts.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18The other thing that happened at the same time is
0:16:18 > 0:16:21the rivers were cleaned up by the various authorities
0:16:21 > 0:16:25and this helped the fish population to recover.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30'So conservation efforts and clean water means the ecosystem in our waterways
0:16:30 > 0:16:33'is returning to a more natural state.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37'And as the top-level predators, otters are finally coming back.'
0:16:37 > 0:16:41The numbers are recovering. What does the future hold? Can you have too many otters?
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Erm, you can never have too many otters.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48It's a typical predator-prey situation
0:16:48 > 0:16:50and otters are no different to foxes and other things.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53There will be a natural balance that will occur
0:16:53 > 0:16:58based on territories, the amount of food.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00There will never, ever be a lot of otter,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03because they're not fast breeders,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05they don't live all that long.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09'So they're back but just as elusive as ever,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13'which means catching one on camera is still a really tricky task.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18'So, back to the bridge. What, if anything, did we manage to film?'
0:17:19 > 0:17:22We saw three otters come into shot.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28'If you look really closely, you can see three pairs of eyes
0:17:28 > 0:17:33'glinting in the water. Could this be a mother and her two cubs?'
0:17:33 > 0:17:37We also got another otter, I think that was the mother,
0:17:37 > 0:17:41actually sprainting on the stone that we'd got the camera focused on.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44I was so chuffed when we actually got it.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47We also picked up some other animals, too.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50There was a fox or two, a muntjac.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54And all of this proves the worth of rivers like that
0:17:54 > 0:17:57in urban wildlife corridors.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Were you sure you'd get something as good as this?
0:18:00 > 0:18:02Not three otters, no.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06We thought we'd get one, I was confident we'd get one.
0:18:06 > 0:18:12Two, that was better. But three, a family group, oh, that was magic.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18'So in Warwickshire's urban waterways, it's not just single otters returning,
0:18:18 > 0:18:20'it's entire families.'
0:18:21 > 0:18:25So, I've been following the story of otters coming back to our towns and cities
0:18:25 > 0:18:30for a good few years now and I've seen the tracks, I've seen the poo,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33but this is the first time we've caught not one but three otters
0:18:33 > 0:18:35on camera in Rugby,
0:18:35 > 0:18:39and it's proof that urban otters are real, they're back
0:18:39 > 0:18:41and they're right under our noses.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47See? Everywhere you look, there's something new to discover.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51But some species are very particular to certain parts of the Midlands.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Worcester has rediscovered slow worms.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55It's become a bit of a legless lizard hotspot.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59But I want to know, why Worcester? I'm going to need some local help,
0:18:59 > 0:19:03so I've recruited some wildlife detectives to help me out. Let's have a look.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12'City living can be chaotic, but as our cities expand and their populations grow...'
0:19:12 > 0:19:17..green spaces like this become an even more important refuge for our wildlife.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Aw, look, guys!
0:19:19 > 0:19:24'You can find all sorts of bees, bugs and birds in urban allotments and gardens.'
0:19:24 > 0:19:28It's got a blue ring wrapped right round its tail.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32'And that's exactly what year six from Fairfield Community Primary School are doing
0:19:32 > 0:19:35'in their school garden, tucked in the middle of Worcester.'
0:19:35 > 0:19:40This is what I like to see. Wildlife gardeners hard at work.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44How you doing, guys? ALL: Good. Great stuff. What you doing here?
0:19:44 > 0:19:47ALL: Pond dipping. Pond dipping. Have you found anything interesting yet?
0:19:47 > 0:19:49ALL: Yeah. Let's have a look.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54What's this? A tadpole. Oh, wow! Look at that! A tadpole!
0:19:54 > 0:20:00So that means you've obviously got frogs here. Have you got any other interesting animals here?
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Dragonflies. Newts. Newts? Wow! Slugs, snails.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Slugs and snails? Oh, OK.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11'Slugs and snails might be the arch enemy of all gardeners,
0:20:11 > 0:20:17'but they're vitally important to our ecosystem, not least to the slow worm, who can't get enough of them.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21'Slow worms are one of only six reptiles native to the UK
0:20:21 > 0:20:24'and we're in prime slow worm territory.'
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Worcester's a fairly small city and there's quite a lot of long-standing
0:20:28 > 0:20:31and fairly well-established green space.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33And slow worms like edge habitats,
0:20:33 > 0:20:38so they like long grass and areas to hide and forage in
0:20:38 > 0:20:41where they're going to be fairly safe from predators.
0:20:42 > 0:20:48'And the school's already been visited by one, causing quite a bit of lunchtime drama.'
0:20:48 > 0:20:50A few months ago, we had a slow worm in the school.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53I remember, I was on duty at lunchtime
0:20:53 > 0:20:56and some children came running in, "Mr Schiffmann! There's a snake!"
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Of course, I went outside to have a look and, lo and behold, there was,
0:21:00 > 0:21:03about that big, probably an adult slow worm,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05and it had slithered up onto the tarmac.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10Quite a crowd around it, as you can imagine. So we opened up a little escape route for it
0:21:10 > 0:21:15and it very quickly slithered off back into the grass of the field and out of sight.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19'Next time one glides by, we want to persuade it to stay,
0:21:19 > 0:21:24'so with my newly-recruited wildlife detectives, Curtis, Diego and Evie,
0:21:24 > 0:21:27'I'm going to an allotment right near Worcester City Centre.
0:21:30 > 0:21:35'We want to see if we can find a slow worm to help us learn more about these legless lizards
0:21:35 > 0:21:37'and how we can encourage them into the school garden.'
0:21:37 > 0:21:43Lansdowne Crescent Allotments is a really, really good site for slow worms.
0:21:43 > 0:21:48It was first discovered in 1997 when a survey was commissioned
0:21:48 > 0:21:53and it's thought that this site is probably the best urban location
0:21:53 > 0:21:56for slow worms in the whole of the United Kingdom.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00'So we should have a great chance of finding some today.'
0:22:01 > 0:22:08Right, so, guys, have you got any idea where these slow worms might be hiding?
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Under the tins. Under the tins? Right.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Are they right, James? I think they are, yeah!
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Shall we have a look? Yeah, let's have a look.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Slowly there.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23No. They're quite elusive, aren't they, slow worms?
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Yeah, they lead quite secretive lives.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Can't see anything straight away. No slow worms.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34Are they quick to scuttle off? If they're found, would they slither off somewhere quickly?
0:22:34 > 0:22:37If they're warm, yes, they can move surprisingly fast.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42'They may be fast but our wildlife detectives don't give up.'
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Whoa, there's two! Look at that! Wow!
0:22:46 > 0:22:49I'll just get that one. I thought that was two.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52That's a young one there. I just have to be careful
0:22:52 > 0:22:55cos they do shed their tails as a defence mechanism.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58The tins provide somewhere that's sheltered, protected from predators,
0:22:58 > 0:23:02and hopefully somewhere that warms up that little bit quicker.
0:23:02 > 0:23:07And when you say protection from predators, what exactly are they hiding from?
0:23:07 > 0:23:12Well, erm, domestic cats are a big problem in this city environment,
0:23:12 > 0:23:16but magpies, blackbirds can take small ones. Wow.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18A whole host of things, really, are out to get slow worms.
0:23:19 > 0:23:25'So, tip number one. The more sheltered spaces we can create at school, the better our chances.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28'But the children are still keen to find more slow worms.'
0:23:28 > 0:23:33It's been quite good cos we've found two so far, but we could've found more.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37I like the colour of it cos it's bright yellowish-greeny
0:23:37 > 0:23:42and that colour would be sort of rare, I think.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46'As the sun heats up, so does our search. And then bingo!'
0:23:46 > 0:23:49We've got one under here. I'll just try and get it out.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Oh, wow. Oh, look. Wow, that's big!
0:23:52 > 0:23:54That is one big slow worm.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57He looks like he's smiling!
0:23:59 > 0:24:01He's probably happy that the sun's come out now.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06It's amazing what they can do with their bodies. It is, isn't it?
0:24:06 > 0:24:12It's amazing how they actually suck up the slugs. I love it!
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Initially I think, especially the boys,
0:24:14 > 0:24:19I think they'd rather be out playing football, but I think James really brought the slow worm to life
0:24:19 > 0:24:23and when we got to actually see one and touch one and hear about some of their amazing features,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25I think it stoked a little bit of interest in them.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29But little do they know that I've got a surprise for them later on
0:24:29 > 0:24:32and I think that will really make them excited about the slow worm.
0:24:33 > 0:24:38'Now, slow worms often suffer from a case of mistaken identity.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42'People think they're a snake, but they're not, and Langan Turner from Dudley Zoo
0:24:42 > 0:24:45'has come along with a few of his reptile friends.'
0:24:45 > 0:24:51So, what is the difference between a snake and a slow worm? Cos they look pretty similar to me.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Watch for him blinking.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59Huh. Can you see him blinking? ALL: No. No. He can't blink.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03He doesn't have eyelids. Snakes don't have eyelids.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Whoa! They're like swimming goggles.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08But slow worms are lizards.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Lizards do have eyelids.
0:25:10 > 0:25:16So if you see something that looks like a snake but it blinks, it's got to be a lizard.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21I don't know about you guys, but I can kind of see the slow worm a little bit more with this.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Yeah, so can I. If we pop you down there...
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Ooh, lizard! Lizard!
0:25:27 > 0:25:31You can actually see, if his legs kept on getting smaller,
0:25:31 > 0:25:35you'd end up with a very long bodied animal.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Yeah, definitely. A fairly thick head.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42You would have something that looks very much like a slow worm. I just saw his tongue.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47So, these little dudes are a gardener's friend,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50munching up the pest that eats our plants.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52They're a welcome addition to any garden or allotment.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55So what can you do to attract them to your green space?
0:25:55 > 0:25:58'Back to James, our man with a plan.'
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Compost heaps are great for slow worms.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03They provide warm and moist conditions,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06which is ideal for when they want to hibernate,
0:26:06 > 0:26:11and it also provides cover and shelter from predators.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15OK, this is quite a big compost heap and I imagine not everyone could have one of these in their garden.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Is there anything else that people can do to recreate this?
0:26:18 > 0:26:23Yes, certainly. You can build a hibernaculum. OK.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25That sounds quite technical. What is one?
0:26:25 > 0:26:29It's just a fancy name for trying to recreated the conditions
0:26:29 > 0:26:32that they need for hibernation.
0:26:32 > 0:26:37So you would build a similar structure out of rubble, sticks and earth.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40I quite like the idea of being able to go home and say,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43"Today I built a hibernaculum." Are we capable of doing that?
0:26:43 > 0:26:46ALL: Yeah. Wicked. They're up for it.
0:26:48 > 0:26:53I think James was great at really explaining why these animals are so interesting,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56and to get hands-on was incredible. And Langan came in from the zoo
0:26:56 > 0:27:01and brought these very exotic animals that are related to animals that they can find on their doorstep
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and so I just hope it's inspired them to go and try and attract
0:27:04 > 0:27:06some slow worms to their garden at school.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11'Back at school, the kids waste no time in building their slow worm des res.'
0:27:11 > 0:27:16It's looking quite good. Do you think so? I think so, too.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19What do you think, guys? Are you happy with this? Yeah.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23'So, are these wildlife workers confident that slow worms will use their new home?'
0:27:23 > 0:27:26It depends, if it don't rain
0:27:26 > 0:27:31and if it's always sunny then, yeah, we'll get some.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36I think they will because they like hiding and it's all covered,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40so all the other animals can't get into it so they see.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46'A bit more soil and water and we have...' One finished hibernaculum.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49'They've done a great job.'
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Put it there! Oh, yeah! Oh, yeah! Oh, yeah!
0:27:52 > 0:27:55'And with a perfect pad all ready to move into,
0:27:55 > 0:28:01'hopefully next time a slow worm is passing through the playground, it'll decide to stay.'
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Now, if our attempt to build a hibernaculum has inspired you
0:28:04 > 0:28:07and you want some tips on how best to get started,
0:28:07 > 0:28:13just go to our website, bbc.co.uk/summerofwildlife
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Well, fingers crossed the kids at Fairfield Community Primary
0:28:21 > 0:28:24can attract some slow worms of their own really soon.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27That's it from me. I hope we've inspired you to go on an urban safari.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31You'd be amazed at some of the things you can find right on your doorstep.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:35 > 0:28:35.