Discover our local wildlife

Northern Ireland's diverse landscape is rich in wildlife with all manner of creatures great and small calling it home....

Irish hare with distinctive white tail

Mad March Hare  

Northern Ireland is home to two types of hares - find out where you can see them and the best time of day to spot them...

Learn more about our native Irish hares
Cows swimming across Lough Erne at Crom

Meet Crom's swimming cows 

Video captures cows swimming 100m across Lough Erne to graze at remote wildlife haven

Watch the bovine breaststroke
Dark Green Fritillary butterfly, Portstewart Strand
Portstewart Strand   County Londonderry

Butterfly spotting in the dunes at Portstewart Strand

From the Common Blue to the rarer Peacock, discover what butterflies live in the dunes at Portstewart Strand...

Learn more about the butterflies in the dunes
A common pipistrelle bat, one of the eight species found in Northern Ireland

Bat spotting in Northern Ireland  

Everything you need to know about bats in Northern Ireland, including where to spot them and how to identify them

Go batty for bats...
A red squirrel sitting on the branch of a tree
Mount Stewart   County Down

Red squirrels

Mount Stewart is home to a healthy population of red squirrels. They are rarely seen in Northern Ireland nowadays, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.

Find out more about our population of red squirrels
A visitor taking photographs in the mist of Lough Erne at Crom, Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland

Owl haunts in Northern Ireland 

Come owl-spotting at our places. You might see one in the trees or hunting over pastures.

Spot owls in Northern Ireland
One of the many butterflies to be found at Crom
Crom   County Fermanagh

Wildlife at Crom

Crom is a haven for wildlife with a host of rare species recorded on site. Find out about some of the creatures calling Crom home.

See what you can spot at Crom
Spot a Kingfisher at The Argory
The Argory   County Armagh

A flash of kingfisher blue

Pack the binoculars and a camera and take a stroll down to the Blackwater River at The Argory. The kingfisher always excites those lucky enough to see it. Afterwards, kids can tick off number 44 from our list of 50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾.

Find out more
Brent geese arrive in their thousands on Strangford Lough

Brent geese arrive at Strangford Lough 

The annual arrival of around 75% of the world’s population of Brent Geese onto the shores of Strangford Lough is a sight to behold.

Read more about this amazing migration
Picture shows red swirling pattern on the surface of a leaf
Giant's Causeway   County Antrim

Micro moths at Giant's Causeway

The rare Sorrel Pigmy moth caterpillar has been discovered at the causeway, the first time this species has been spotted in Northern Ireland.

Find out more
Looking after nature in Northern Ireland Play Video
Video

Looking after nature in Northern Ireland

With your support we are looking after land in ways that give nature space to regenerate, allowing wildlife to return. Here’s a little of what we are doing…