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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Isaaq Tomkins

From scorpions to peacocks: the species thriving in London’s hidden microclimates

A peacock sitting on a branch of a tree in Holland Park
A peacock basks in the sunshine in Holland Park, west London. Photograph: Johnny Armstead/Alamy

London is the only place in the UK where you can find scorpions, snakes, turtles, seals, peacocks, falcons all in one city – and not London zoo. Step outside and you will encounter a patchwork of writhing, buzzing, bubbling urban microclimates.

Sam Davenport, the director of nature recovery at the London Wildlife Trust, emphasises the sheer variation in habitats that you find in UK cities, which creates an amazing “mosaic” of wildlife.

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