Wildlife at your Reach

At Gallions Reach, our shopping park is full of wildlife, some you'd expect like bumblebees, or the potential twitch of fluffy rabbit nose and the occasional scamper of a fox, while others are a little less common, like our friends the Otters. 

Here, we have a mixture of real life animals and our animal-like statues, which thankfully you can get up close and personal with! Take a walk through our shopping promenade and see which ones you can spot along the way!

Red Fox

Famed for their cunning and stealth, these orangey-red dogs with their bushy tails can be seen all over London. They come out mostly at night but can also be seen during the day if you’re lucky! (with our statues here in Gallions, we’re lucky enough to spot them night and day!)

Fox Fun-Facts

Foxes are Mammals, with a length between 62-72cm, a tail as long as 40cm and weighing in anywhere between 5-7kg. These common animals will often live between 2-3 years and can be spotted all year round. 

Otter

The sinuous otter is an excellent swimmer and can be seen hunting in wetlands, rivers and along the coast. Excellent and lithe swimmers, the young are in the water by 10 weeks of age. Otters are expanding their territories into urban areas as the species recovers, including into towns and cities near London. They have even made their way into central London, like Beckton.

Otter Fun-Facts

Otters are Mammals, with a length around 60-80cm, a tail swinging between 32-56cm and a weight of around 6-8kg. Our fluffy and waterproof friends can live long lives between 5-10 years and are considered a protected species in the UK. Otters like to be seen all year round.

Rabbit

Who doesn’t love spotting rabbits hopping through long grass during a walk in the countryside? They are a common sight, but seeing their curious faces popping up is always a treat. Most people have spotted these adorable animals grazing on berries, twigs and grasses, on the hunt for their favourite foods. 

They were first introduced to the UK by the Normans, however have become a staple household pet, a symbolic sign around the world, and of course, a cute shop-side view here at Gallions.

Rabbit Fun-Facts

Rabbits are Mammals, 40cm in length and weigh around 1-2kg. These adorable fluffballs generally live up to three years, however this often exceeded by house Rabbits. Seen all year round, Rabbits are now a naturalised species in the UK.

Red-tailed bumblebee

Living up to its name, the red-tailed bumblebee is black with a big, red 'tail'. It’s a common bumblebee, emerging early in the spring and feeding on flowers right through to the autumn. It can be found in gardens, farmland, woodland edges, hedgerows and heathland; anywhere there are flowers to feed on. Unsurprisingly, Gallions Reach is no different.

Bumblebee Fun-Facts

Bumblebees are invertebrates, with a length of 2.2cm and unlike its Gallions friends, the Bumblebee can only be seen during the Summer and Autumn months.

Common toad

Despite its warts and ancient associations with witches, the common toad is a gardener's friend, sucking up slugs and snails. It's famous for migrating en-masse to its breeding ponds. 

Common toads are amphibians, breeding in ponds during the spring and spending much of the year feeding in woodland, gardens, hedgerows and tussocky grassland. They hibernate over winter, often under log piles, stones or even in old flower pots!

Toad Fun-Facts

The common toad is 8-13cm in length, can weigh up to 80g and will often live to 4 years of age. As a protected species in the UK, common toads can be found in large numbers mostly between February and October. Just in time for the Witching Hour.

London plane

As its name suggests, the London plane tree is a familiar sight along the roadsides and in the parks of London. 

London plane Fun-Facts

The London plane tree is categorised as a Tree, with a height of 18-35m and can be seen in bloom all year round. The tree is a non-native species and though the true origins of the species leave much speculation, the Woodland Trust believe the tree to be a hybridised sapling of the Oriental and American plane. With the London plane finding its native home in Spain during the 17th Century later making the voyage to Britain in the pockets of avid Botanists. 

Lavender

Lavender is a flowering plant in the mint family that's easily identified by its sweet floral scent. It's believed to be native to the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and India, with a history dating as far back as 2,500 years.

Lavender season usually runs from June to September, peaking in August, and there are plenty of opportunities to lay your eyes – and nose – in our planter at Gallions to reap the full benefit of the purple-hue plant.

Lavender Fun-Facts

Lavender falls into the trees and shrubs category with a height of 40-55cm.

Take a trip to Gallions Reach this weekend and try to spot them all!