NATURE . WILDLIFE
Wild Cologne
45' (GER, FRE, ENG subs)
Cologne’s motto, "Cosmopolitan city on the Rhine", is equally applicable for plants and animals. Many animals have learnt to ignore people and have established themselves in this man-made world.
The habitats in Cologne are particularly attractive to species from distant countries that crave warmth. At the edge of the thunderous traffic, swans and Egyptian geese shriek over territories, whilst in front of picturesque suburban houses squirrels fight with parrots for the ownership of holes in trees. For foxes and buzzards the parks and cemeteries are rich hunting grounds and a veritable source of food. In the richly textured city, both plants and animals have found food, protection and, above all in the winter, a pleasant environment with warmer temperatures.
Urban canyons, asphalt jungle and massive concrete buildings offer suitable breeding sites and hunting grounds for squawking ring-necked parakeets, shy raccoons and strange Chinese mitten crabs. The cathedral resembles a gigantic cliff for nesting birds, mossy roofs form Alpine pastures, garages are caves and park ponds take the place of waterholes. The habitats in Cologne, three times the size of the nearby Eifel national park, have attracted animals from all over Europe.
Pictures: ©WDR
Facts
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Original TitleWildes Köln: Der Stadtdschungel am Rhein
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Year2013
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Length45' (GER, FRE, ENG subs)
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ResolutionHD
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Film byHerbert Ostwald, Gabriele Conze, Sabine Rollberg
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Produced by