Last year's count introduced a few new species to North America, including the exotic purple swamphen, an escapee now breeding in the Florida Everglades.
The Rock - which sees Connery play an Alcatraz escapee trying to thwart a terrorist attack on San Francisco - had Channel 5's third highest-ever audience.
Following the incident, Mr Richardson said public safety was never at risk, claiming that a pet hamster would have posed a greater threat of inflicting injuries than the escapee.