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Animals of Wales facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Wales is a country in the United Kingdom. It is home to many amazing animals. From tiny insects to large marine mammals, Wales has a rich variety of wildlife. Let's explore some of the cool creatures you can find here!

Milvus milvus R(ThKraft)
Red kite, the national bird of Wales.
Common seal (Phoca vitulina) juvenile
Common seal juvenile, off Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Animals of the Sea

The waters around Wales are full of life! Especially around Cardigan Bay and the Pembrokeshire coast. You can often spot different types of whales here.

Mammals on Land

Wales is home to many interesting mammals. Some are big, and some are very small.

Birds of Wales

About 430 different kinds of birds have been seen in Wales! Some birds are very special to the country.

Puffin (Fratercula arctica)
Puffin on the North Coast of Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
  • Signature Species: The red kite is a famous bird in Wales. Ospreys are also a "signature species."
  • Common Birds: You can often see dippers, choughs, and puffins. Other common birds include guillemots, razorbills, short-eared owls, Manx shearwaters, whimbrel, and plovers.
  • Rare Birds: The Montagu's harrier is a rare bird in Britain. It has several nesting spots in Wales.
  • Changing Populations: The Red grouse used to be very common. But its numbers have gone down a lot because of hunting. You can still find red grouse in the far north of Wales.

Reptiles

Wales has a few types of reptiles. These cold-blooded animals love sunny spots.

  • Snakes: Adders and grass snakes have been recorded here. Adders are the only venomous snakes in Britain, but they usually only bite if they feel threatened.
  • Lizards: Common lizards are often seen, especially near Oxwich Bay.
  • Conservation: Some sand lizards have been released into the wild. This was done by volunteers from the Herpetological Conservation Trust and zoos like Chester and Jersey Zoos. This helps to protect this rare species.

Priority Species

Some animals in Wales are very important to protect. These are called "priority species." They need special help to make sure they survive and thrive. Here are some of them:

Species Species
Lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) Greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum)
Common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis)
Natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) Grass snake (Natrix natrix)
Common lizard (Lacerta vivipara) Pine marten (Martes martes)
Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) Common toad (Bufo bufo)
Harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) Otter (Lutra lutra)
Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) Twait shad (Alosa fallax)
Great crested newt (Triturus cristata) Adder (Vipera berus)
Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis) Polecat (Mustela putorius)
Water vole (Arvicola amphibius) Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus)

See Also

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Animals of Wales Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.