Sharing space: our wonderful urban wildlife
By Kerry Williams
Communications Officer - Conservation
As our built environment encroaches upon wild areas, nature is forced to adapt. Now, with wildlife a more common sighting in our towns and cities than ever, we celebrate some notable species with whom we are privileged to share our urban spaces.
Fox
The ultimate metropolitan wildlife character, the Red Fox (pictured above) is a symbol of urban opportunity. Often reviled in culture and media as cunning and underhand, we prefer quick-witted and versatile. Our only wild dog species, the Fox has adapted to street life by scavenging and snacking on an eclectic diet of anything from small mammals to berries to dropped kebabs in devotion to raising their cubs. A crepuscular species, Foxes are most active during dusk and dawn, but can be spotted during the day, napping on garden hedgerows or warm shed rooves.
Peregrine
Peregrines have long since made use of urban spaces which mimic their natural cliff side roosts, including cathedrals, power stations, and currently, an apartment block in Brighton, handily positioned in falcon-eyed view of the Brighton Pier for a fly-by Starling snack at murmuration time. The UK’s largest falcon, and the world's fastest animal, this incredible predator can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour. Keep your eyes peeled around large flocks at dusk for a sighting.
Bats
Our 18 UK bat species, all of which, and their roosts, are legally protected, make up a quarter of all our native mammals. Bats are nocturnal, using the daytime to roost. Some species, like the Greater Horseshoe, hang upside down in open spaces, like caves, or loft voids. Others, like the tiny Common Pipistrelle, are crevice dwellers, choosing to snuggle into cracks in tree limbs or under roof tiles. A loss of ancient woodland habitat and traditional farm buildings has meant bats are utilising urban spaces more, providing those who share homes with them with aerobatic displays on leaving the roost to hunt on summer evenings.
Herring Gull
Synonymous with football chants and seafront chip raids, the Herring Gull is a Sussex icon. Every year, hundreds of fluffy pom poms appear on Sussex rooftops, spending the summer rapidly growing, calling, and bobbing, vying for their parents' attention and procured street delicacies. Don’t be fooled by their apparent abundance though; due to a lack of resources at sea, this red list species is in national decline.
Badger
I’ve seen a live Badger three times. Once, a monochrome flash disappearing in hedge headlights, a second similar snippet at a Sussex nature reserve, and the clearest view by far, a bold Brock trot along the front of Sainsburys in Croydon. Urban gardens and green areas are prime foraging spots for these adaptable creatures, who, much like Foxes, have taken to our towns and cities in the face of natural habitat loss through rural development. Protected by law, Badgers and their setts are a precious addition to any urban garden, providing a natural pesticide service for any vegetable patch.
Many of our urban species are rightly protected by UK law, so it’s important to be aware of this if sharing their space. If you have bats roosting in your house, it’s important to seek advice prior to undertaking any work on your roof or loft space via the Bat Conservation Trust. If living with Badgers, the Badger Trust has excellent resources. All wild birds, their eggs and nests are protected in the UK, so refer to guidance if working or gardening around known nesting sites.
Comments
Unfortunately a lot of people won’t believe that Herring Gulls are endangered and at best just shoo them away but at worst go out of their way to cause them harm – shooting them with airguns and throwing food into the road in front of cars so they’re killed or injured!!😡🤬
13 Mar 2025 11:44:00
It’s interesting how wildlife has had to adapt to their homes being taken over by our urban growth. It shows their flexibility and determination to survive. What studies are being done to review wildlife habitats and specifically corridors to ensure our new developments are not destroying more crucial habitat? I feel developers need to have more mandatory mitigation measures imposed on them when designing urban areas as its clearly not enough
13 Mar 2025 11:48:00
I have recently read that it is more important than ever at this time of year to report any sighting of a dead badger, as it may have cubs nearby needing to be rescued. Can you tell me who to report it to?
13 Mar 2025 12:16:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Hi Irene. You can report a dead animal to your local council, here: https://www.gov.uk/report-dead.... If the Badger was killed on a road, you can report these to the Badger Trust: https://www.badgertrust.org.uk.... It is also helpful to log the sighting via iRecord, for species monitoring purposes: https://irecord.org.uk/.
I just loved your latest photos and information about some of the creatures that interest me most e.g foxes in particular. In our garden in Ditchling last year we had three foxes visiting, two young and a mother, I presume. We left out food sometimes for them. Unfortunately, I have never been fortunate enough to see a badger. Yesterday a sparrowhawk landed in our garden, having caught a pigeon but became a little frightened and flew away leaving its prey.
13 Mar 2025 16:38:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
A Sparrowhawk is always an exciting garden visitor
And amazingly, I and my neighbours have seen a kingfisher fishing in the fenced off part of the lake outlet, in Princes Park, in Eastbourne.
13 Mar 2025 17:10:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
How wonderful
Nice piece – interesting and informative.
13 Mar 2025 17:13:00
There is a dearth of rabbits forcing the foxes into environments.
Finding the cure for the lapine epidemic would go a long way to help.
13 Mar 2025 17:27:00
precious addition they may be, but, damn, they do some damage to small gardens with their foraging and, in particular, latrines. my attempts at creating habitat interest for other species is being daily wrecked by badger(s)
13 Mar 2025 18:02:00
Thank you. This is very important especially for where I live in Angmering as the property developers have taken over the village.
14 Mar 2025 08:41:00
Thank you- a lovely reminder of what’s on our doorstep if we keep our eyes open and provide help if needed.
14 Mar 2025 09:07:00
We have been privilaged to have a pair of badgers move into our Woodingdean garden and create their own sett since back in march 2024. they havnt improved our lawns but hopefully I will be able to put these right now spring is here. Inspite of this my wildlife garden can only benefit from having these protected animals living with us.
14 Mar 2025 10:31:00
I had not expected the badger to figure amongst urban livers: interesting. Big animals to make past urban barriers. Presumably they often burrow their way.
14 Mar 2025 11:45:00
A really interesting read, thank you. Living in Crawley, I have managed to see foxes, herring gulls and bats very close to my home. We do have a bird of prey that hovers overhead sometimes, but too high up for me to identify properly. I’m guessing a buzzard or as peregrine.
Sadly I have yet to see a badger in the wild.
14 Mar 2025 13:15:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Sounds like it is a Kestrel
We’ve a peregrine family each year on our cathedral in Chichester. I hear them screaming as they fly when working in the community garden. I regularly see foxes crossing the roads in town at dusk, and herring gulls stamp a rhythm in our parks to bring up the worms! I’m very concerned about the dredging silt being discharged along the coast in our protected areas. Please let us know what transpires and if you manage to stop it happening.
14 Mar 2025 14:23:00
We have been privilaged to have a pair of badgers move into our Woodingdean garden and create their own sett since back in march 2024. They haven’t improved our lawns but hopefully I will be able to put these right now spring is here. Inspite of this my wildlife garden can only benefit from having these protected animals living with us.
14 Mar 2025 15:01:00
Our garden is wild life friendly we have foxes badgers hedgehogs frogs slow worms and lots of birds .
14 Mar 2025 16:28:00
I was shocked to read that the Herring Gull is on the red list.
15 Mar 2025 11:13:00
I have a small garden surrounded by trees , I encourage wildlife by feeding the birds and
anything else that comes into my space! I’m at home a lot right now after surgery and they
fill my day!
19 Mar 2025 07:01:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
That's lovely to hear Jacqueline. Best of luck with your recovery