List of United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan species facts for kids

The United Kingdom is home to many wonderful animals and plants. But sadly, some of these species are in danger. They might be losing their homes, or new species from other countries might be taking over their space or spreading diseases.

To help these special creatures and plants, the UK has a plan called the United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP). This plan helps protect and bring back species that are struggling. In 1995, a report listed 116 species that needed these special action plans. This list helps us know which animals and plants need our help the most!

Amazing Mammals in Need of Help

Mammals are warm-blooded animals with fur or hair. Many of them are facing tough times in the UK.

• Scottish Wildcat (Felis silvestris grampia): These wild cats look a bit like bigger, tougher tabby cats. They are very rare and live in the Scottish Highlands.
• Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): These smart dolphins live in warm and cool seas all over the world, including around the UK coast.
• European Hare (Lepus europaeus): Also known as the brown hare, these fast runners are found across Europe and parts of Asia.
• Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius): These tiny, cute rodents are famous for their long sleeps! They live in northern Europe and parts of Asia.
• European Otter (Lutra lutra lutra): Otters are playful creatures that love water. They live near rivers and coasts in Asia, Africa, and Europe.
• Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris leucourus): These charming squirrels are native to the UK. They are struggling because grey squirrels, which came from America, are taking over their habitats and carrying a disease that harms red squirrels.
• Water Vole (Arvicola amphibius): These small, furry animals are often found near rivers and streams. They are sometimes called "Ratty" from the book The Wind in the Willows.
• European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus): Our spiky garden friends are also in decline. They are active at night, looking for insects and slugs.

Birds That Need Our Protection

The UK is home to many beautiful birds, but some are becoming very rare. Here are a few that are part of the UK BAP.

• Western Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus): These large, forest-dwelling birds are found in Scotland. They are known for their impressive mating displays.
• Corn Crake (Crex crex): This bird is globally threatened. It's a shy bird that lives in tall grasslands and has a distinctive "crex-crex" call.
• Great Bittern (Botarus stellaris): Bitterns are masters of camouflage, blending into reed beds. They have a deep, booming call.
• Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix): These small, plump game birds are often seen in farmland areas.
• Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos): Known for its beautiful and varied song, the song thrush is a common garden bird that has seen its numbers drop.
• Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus): These birds of prey hunt over open moorlands. The females are often called "ringtails" because of their striped tails.
• House Sparrow (Passer domesticus): Surprisingly, even these common garden birds have seen a big drop in numbers in some areas.
• European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur): This migratory bird is known for its gentle cooing sound. Its numbers have fallen dramatically.
• Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris): Starlings are famous for their amazing "murmurations," where thousands fly together in swirling patterns. Their population has also declined.
• Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus): These striking birds with a crest are often found in open fields. They are known for their "pee-wit" call.

Reptiles and Amphibians in the UK

Reptiles are cold-blooded animals with scales, while amphibians live both in water and on land. Both groups have species needing help.

Reptiles

• Slow-worm (Anguis fragilis): Despite looking like a snake, the slow-worm is actually a legless lizard! It's found across Eurasia.
• Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis): This rare lizard lives in sandy habitats and is found across Europe.
• Northern or European Adder (Vipera berus): The adder is the UK's only venomous snake. It's found across Western Europe and Asia.
• Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca): This shy, non-venomous snake is very rare in the UK, found mainly in southern England.

Amphibians

• Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus): This is the largest newt species in the UK, known for its "wavy" crest during breeding season.
• Natterjack Toad (Bufo calamita): Unlike common toads, natterjacks prefer sandy, heathland habitats and have a distinctive yellow stripe down their back.

Fish Species Facing Challenges

Many fish species in the UK's rivers and lakes are also part of the BAP.

• Allis Shad (Alosa alosa): This fish is related to herring and migrates from the sea into rivers to spawn.
• European Eel (Anguilla anguilla): Eels have a fascinating life cycle, traveling thousands of miles from the Sargasso Sea to European rivers. Their numbers have dropped sharply.
• Brown Trout (Salmo trutta): A popular fish for anglers, brown trout live in rivers and lakes across the UK.

Insects: Tiny but Important Creatures

Insects play vital roles in our ecosystems, from pollinating plants to breaking down waste. Many are in trouble.

Beetles

• Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus): This is the UK's largest land beetle, famous for the male's impressive "antlers."
• Tansy Beetle (Chrysolina graminis): This beautiful, metallic green beetle lives only in a few places in the UK, mainly feeding on tansy plants.

Butterflies and Moths

Butterflies and moths are important pollinators and a food source for many animals.

• Large Blue (Maculinea arion): This butterfly was once extinct in the UK but has been successfully brought back from Swedish populations. It has a very special life cycle involving ants!
• Marsh Fritillary (Eurodryas aurinia): This beautiful orange and black butterfly lives in damp grasslands and marshes.
• Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticaria): A common and beloved garden butterfly, its numbers have declined in recent years.
• White Admiral (Limenitis camilla): This elegant black and white butterfly glides gracefully through woodlands.

Other Insects

• European Mole Cricket (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa): These unusual crickets live underground and can dig tunnels with their strong front legs.
• Southern Damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale): This small, delicate insect lives in clean, slow-flowing water.
• Hornet Robberfly (Asilus crabroniformis): This large fly is a powerful predator, hunting other insects.

Other Invertebrates

Invertebrates are animals without a backbone. This group includes many different types of creatures.

Crustaceans

• White Clawed Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes): This is the UK's only native freshwater crayfish. It's threatened by a disease carried by the American signal crayfish.

Molluscs

Molluscs include snails and mussels.

• Desmoulin's Whorl Snail (Vertigo moulinsiana): This tiny snail lives in wetlands and is very rare.
• Freshwater Pearl Mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera): These mussels can live for over 100 years and produce pearls! They need very clean rivers.

Other Invertebrates

• Medicinal Leech (Hirudo medicinalis): These segmented worms were once used in medicine. They live in clean, still water.
• Starlet Sea Anemone (Nematostella vectensis): This small, burrowing sea anemone lives in brackish water (a mix of fresh and salt water).

Plants: The Green Heroes

Plants are the foundation of many ecosystems, providing food and habitat. Many unique UK plants are also endangered.

Trees

• Common Juniper (Juniperus communis): This evergreen shrub or small tree is found on heaths and moorlands.
• Plymouth Pear (Pyrus Cordata): This very rare wild pear tree is found in only a few locations in Devon, England.

Flowering Plants

• Fen Orchid (Liparis loeselii): A beautiful and tiny orchid that grows in wet, marshy areas.
• Lady's Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium calceolus): This is one of the UK's rarest and most striking orchids, with a large, slipper-shaped flower.
• Lundy Cabbage (Coincya wrightii): This plant is found only on Lundy Island off the coast of Devon.
• Star Fruit (Damasonium alisma): This aquatic plant has star-shaped fruits and is very rare in the UK.

Fungi, Lichens, Mosses, and Liverworts

These groups of organisms are also vital for healthy ecosystems.

Fungi

• Devil's Bolete (Boletus satanas): This large, striking mushroom has a red stem and is poisonous.

Lichens

Lichens are a unique combination of a fungus and an alga living together.

• Elm's Gyalecta (Gyalecta ulmi): This lichen grows on the bark of elm trees.
• River Jelly Lichen (Collema dichotomum): This unusual lichen looks like dark, gelatinous blobs when wet and grows in rivers.

Mosses

• Cornish Path-moss (Ditrichum cornubicum): This tiny moss is found only in Cornwall, England.
• Derbyshire Feather-moss (Thamnobryum angustifolium): This moss is unique to Derbyshire.

Liverworts

• Petalwort (Petalophyllum ralfsii): This small liverwort grows in sandy, coastal areas.

Stoneworts

• Mossy Stonewort (Chara muscosa): This aquatic plant, which looks a bit like a moss, is probably extinct in the UK.

See also

• List of species and habitats of principal importance in England
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006
• List of habitats of principal importance in Wales