Episode 3: Wild Cities – Cork, RTÉ One, May 22nd at 6.30pm
Environmental scientist and Cork blow-in, Tara Shine, takes us on a tour of her adopted home as we meet the grey herons casually strolling to the English Market to beg outside for food, and the mallards battling it out for mates at The Lough.
In Grand Parade, we find a wonderful winter spectacle as hundreds of little pied wagtails come in to roost huddling for warmth among the Christmas lights above the heads of oblivious shoppers.
From hares that have decided a working factory is still a suitable haunt to the urban waterways filled with terrapins that are the leftover legacy of a 1980s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle obsession, Cork is a wonderland of hidden wildlife ripe for exploration.
Biography
Dr Tara Shine is an environmental scientist with 20 years’ experience working in the fields of climate change, environment and development.
Tara is Special Adviser to the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, and also advises governments, multilateral agencies and civil society organisations on climate change, environmental policy and development assistance.
Tara holds a BSc in Environmental Science and a PhD in Geography from the University of Ulster. She has contributed to research, policy and teaching in countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.
Series Overview
Wild Cities is a fascinating new four-part series set on the streets of Cork, Dublin, Galway and Belfast revealing each city’s wildest, yet most secretive residents – the wild animals that live there.
Filmed over three years using the most up-to-date camera technologies, next cameras, infrared ‘night vision’ and super slow-motion, Wild Cities reveals an urban world teeming with wildlife in the most unexpected and unusual places.
As more and more people move into cities and towns we are losing our vital connection with the natural world. Across this series we will reveal the wildlife that we share our urban spaces with and the aim is to get people to open their eyes, look around them and enjoy the natural wonders the city has to offer. People will be surprised by what they can see right under their noses. It is all right there – on your way to work, on a night out, in your local park or in your very own back garden.
Presented by four fresh new faces for RTÉ One – Rob Gandola, Dr Tara Shine, John Lusby and Simon Watt – each presenter has a special connection to and affinity with their city. They bring us on a very personal journey through their city, exploring its wildest corners.
A number of remarkable firsts were achieved by the dedicated production team over three years of filming in the four cities. Cameraman Domenico Pontillo spent countless days, weeks and hours waiting patiently in all weather conditions to capture spectacular scenes including slow-motion footage of kingfishers filmed in Belfast City and salmon on its migration upstream in Galway City. For the first time ever nest cameras have allowed us to enjoy footage of the long-eared owls in Phoenix Park and the latest infrared technology brings the audience into the secret world of barn owls in Galway and bats in Cork as never seen before.
Produced by the award-winning Wicklow-based filmmakers, Crossing the Line, these four programmes offer the very best in Natural History filmmaking.
“We wanted to show these animals that have adapted to living alongside us, but few of us ever notice them,” said producer, Cepa Giblin, “There are so many intriguing stories to tell. These are clever, tenacious, opportunistic animals, like the urban fox, pigeon and the herring gull, who – love them or hate them – have found a niche in our most densely populated cities. This is a really exciting new series”.