Seals of Approval

As we make our weary ways to and from work in the busy, polluted and often dangerous (for those of us who cycle) streets of London, it's easy to forget that we are surrounded by wildlife.

The birds, the bees and urban boxes might be more obvious, but The Zoological Society of London report that the seal population of London is on the rise.

They're in the Thames, obviously, but numbers counted have risen from a previous level of 685 to last years figure of 938. And they've been spotted as high up the river as Teddington Lock.

Find more about the ZSL seal survey work

And if you want to make your garden or terrace more wildlife friendly, try these top tips:

1. feed the birds
2. provide water for them to drink and bathe
3. grow stuff, ideally native species with flowers. We need to be especially nice to the bees
4. avoid garden chemicals
5. plant a tree. If you don't have space, join one of the schemes that will do it for you elsewhere
6. let your garden get a bit untidy  - don't weed too much

Now you don't need to do a Joanna Lumley and invite the foxes into your front room, but for the hardcore, you could do worse than joining the London Natural History Society