Discover Wild Animals in the UK

Skewed Perceptions

We are often quick to dismiss our wildlife as being “boring”, but maybe it’s time we start to open our eyes and appreciate the wild animals in the UK.

Our British Isles are home to a huge variety of animals both on land in the sea. There are tonnes of days out you can do with the whole family to get to see them.

Somewhere along the line, we seem to have lost our connection with nature but I hope that we can get it back if we just learn to open our eyes and notice what’s around us.

A Selective Ark

Whilst it’s true that the UK has seen an unprecedented decline in biodiversity in the past 5 decades, it is still home to an enormous range of animals. If we accounted for ALL of the wild animals in the UK, this would be an EXTREMELY long post.

So we are going to be a bit selective. 

We are going to look at the animals most likely to spark the imagination. The ones that are probably the most charismatic. 

But we’ll try and suggest some unexpected places to look. You might just be surprised what you find.

Easy to Spot

These are our animals which most people can find pretty easily across the UK. You might need a bit of “right place right time” magic, but those times and places are widespread.

Starfish and Crabs

Beneath our waves, the UK is home to a whole host of marine life that most people will never know exists.

Rockpools give us a unique opportunity to peek at what lives below. Wembury Bay, on the South Devon, is renowned for its rockpools, but there are loads of opportunities around our coastline. 

Starfish and crabs are among the animals you might spot, and keep an eye out for beautiful beadlet and snakelocks anemones whilst you’re at it. 

Rabbits

Famously good at breeding, rabbits have managed to inhabit the majority of the UK.

Quiet grasslands aways from too much human activity give you a good chance of seeing one. Why not try your local Wildlife Trust to find your nearest nature reserve?

Equally, I’ve seen plenty on the site at East Midlands Airport, and grass verges at the edges of roads often offer opportunities too.

Frogs

I have always thought frogs were pretty cool.

Most of our individuals are common frogs, but there are plenty more out there if you take the time to look.

Check out this rare pool frog (or maybe edible frog) we spotted in Norfolk this summer!

Why not spare a second to take a look next time you’re near a pond. You never know what you might spot…

Bats

We actually have 18 species of bat in the UK.

Some of them, like common pipistrelles, can be seen flitting around even in urban areas in the dusk hours of the warmer months. You might think it’s birds at first, but check for fast beating wings and erratic flying patterns to identify a bat.

Lots of organisations like the Wildlife Trusts also offer bat walks, where you can spend an evening using their equipment to detect the sonar calls.

Good Chance to See

Category 2: These are the things you’re not going to see on every single trip but within a few excursions, your chances are pretty good.

Birds of Prey

Buzzards, kestrels and red kites are often seen soaring over farmland, looking for small rodents to snack on.

Have a look at the streetlights along the motorways. You’ll often see someone perched at the top, surveying from above.

We are even lucky enough to have some owls. These are a far rarer spot, but if you’re out in the countryside at dusk, keep your eyes peeled- you never know when you might get lucky!

Foxes and Hedgehogs

Another opportunistic road-side spot is foxes and hedgehogs. 

Weirdly your BEST chance to see these seems to be from the car as they cross the road in front of you.

Please be careful not to run them over!

Deer

Likewise, deer are often seen from the roads, but also live in the large herds in more predictable areas.

Wollaton Park has a large semi-wild herd that roams within its confines.

Seals

Maybe the most surprisingly thing on this list to most people is how common seals are across the UK!

They can be spotted in loads of locations, both by foot and by boat.

There are well established seal colonies on the coasts of Norfolk, Kent and Cornwall, as well as much of the Scottish and Welsh coastline. Confident swimmers can even snorkel with them in Northumberland!

Actively Seeking

Our next category of wild animals in the UK are those who you’re unlikely to stumble across by accident. You’ll probably need to take a special trip to find these guys.

Dolphins

Many people are surprised to know that we actually have quite a few resident dolphin pods in the UK! 

Cardigan Bay and the Moray Firth are probably the best places to get sightings, but they are regularly spotted around the Cornish coast as well as around Northumberland.

Scotland also hosts our only resident orca pod.

Sharks

Basking sharks migrate around the coast of Cornwall each summer and can be seen in various locations around the Scotish coast too.

Blue sharks also frequent our waters. These can be seen, again, in Cornwall, but also in Pembrokeshire, where companies like Celtic Deep run free-diving (not free of charge) excursions to see them in their natural habitat.

Puffins and Seabirds

May and June offer some of the best opportunities in the world to spot puffins.

Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire gives the perfect opportunity to spot them from land, or a boat trip out to the Farne Islands allows sightings from sea. Some of the Scottish Islands, including the Hebrides also play host to these beautiful birds each year.

Even without the delightful entertainment of the puffins, a trip to a coastal cliff top is worth it for our other seabirds. Gannets are some of our most animated characters, adorable guillemots are Britain’s answer to penguins and majestic shags and cormorants swoop through the skies. 

Once I even spotted an albatross at Bempton Cliffs!

Hares and Red Squirrels

Whilst their grey cousins are common, the stunning red squirrel has become a rare sight across the world. However, there are still some to be found in the Lake District (among other places).

Hares are also becoming increasingly rare, out competed by badgers, but it’s still possible to spot one. The farmlands of Norfolk and Suffolk offer the chance to spot one in the dawn or dusk hours. 

If You’re Lucky

Our final category brings together our shyest animals.

I’ve never been lucky enough to see any of these wild animals in the UK, but that’s not to say it can’t happen for you!

Otters and Beavers

Otters have become vanishingly rare in England (though they are making a comeback) so your best chance of a sighting is the Scottish coast. Populations remain on the Isle of Skye, for example. 

Beavers were hunted to extinction in the UK but successful reintroduction projects in Scotland and Devon have given new hope to the species. There are now a number of projects following suit across the country.

Snakes

The UK is home to grass snakes and adders. 

As they are cold blooded, they love nothing more than an opportunity to bask in the sun, so look for them on warm days in areas of grassland or woodland.

Badgers

Whilst controversial due to their role in spreading bovine TB, efforts to vaccinate instead of kill seem to be offering some success.

Badgers are extremely shy but are an incredible spot if you stumble across one. You are most likely to see them on country roads at night, but if you go out specifically in search of a budget, patience is going to be key.

Wild Animals in the UK are Definitely NOT Boring

So there you have it! 

A whole variety of wild animals the UK can be proud to give a home to. 

From the smallest to largest, each has its own unique character and opportunity to inspire us all to get outdoors and experience nature.