"I mean, it is an extraordinary thing that a large proportion of your country and my country, of the citizens, never see a wild creature from dawn 'til dusk, unless it's a pigeon, which isn't really wild, which might come and settle near them"

In this quote, David Attenborough is revealing his surprise and concern over the reality that a substantial number of individuals in both his country and the reader's nation do not have the opportunity to see any wild animals throughout their day. He highlights the truth that the only "wild" creature they might experience is a pigeon, which is not genuinely wild as it is accustomed to residing in metropolitan areas. Attenborough's statement highlights the disconnect in between humans and the natural world, and the absence of exposure to the beauty and variety of wildlife. It acts as a tip to value and safeguard the natural world around us.