London and wildlife aren't things that mix all that often. Sure, the outer boroughs do well, what with the Richmond deer and all, but the closest an inner-city Londoner normally gets to wildlife is being disturbed at 3 am on a summer morning by a wailing pair of mating foxes, only to be woken up a couple of hours later by the dawn chorus. Beyond this, a whole host of non-native and exotic wildlife has made London its home, and although these species aren't quite as headline-worthy as the Thames whale or the Essex lion, they're still here.
Flamingos at Kensington Roof Gardens
OK, so strictly speaking these aren't 'on the loose', but most people strolling down Kensington High Street are unaware of Bill, Ben, Splosh and Pecks, the flamingos who inhabit Kensington Roof Gardens. Less well-known residents of the Roof Gardens include Carolina and Mandarin ducks, New Zealand Scaups, goldfish and crayfish.
Peacocks in Holland Park
The Japanese/Kyoto Gardens in this other green oasis in Kensington are home to free-roaming peacocks. In the past, locals have been warned that the birds are likely to wander outside of their usual territory during mating season.
Pelicans in St James' Park
Regular visitors to St James' Park barely bat an eyelid at the presence of the pelican colony, but they haven't always been there. They were introduced as a gift from the Russian ambassador in 1664 and have bred there ever since. They have been known to be over-friendly towards park-goers, but just be grateful that pelicans are all you come eye-to-eye with these days: when James I took the throne in 1603, he had camels, crocodiles and an elephant kept in the park.
Parakeets
Although they originally populated South East London with New Cross and Lewisham being good places to spot them, parakeet colonies have since been spotted as far afield in the capital as Borehamwood, Carshalton Beeches, Catford and Richmond. In fact, as far back they have been recorded in all 33 London boroughs
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Things To Do In London: Thursday 25 February 2016
\Must-read stuff:
Fancy a pint? Here are the best pubs in London. In our humble, of course.
There have been 3o years of poems on the Underground, so we asked you to write us your own. Here are some of the best.
It's smelly work, but someone has to do it. Grab the Febreze (other air fresheners available), we popped down into the Fleet Street sewer to make a video.
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