Discover our local wildlife

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

Six spot burnet moth is a day flying moth often seen in gardens

How you can help butterflies and moths

Did you know butterflies taste with their feet? Help protect these curious creatures by taking a few simple steps, creating a haven for wildlife and important pollinators like moths and butterflies.

Help us protect pollinators

Irish hare with distinctive white tail — Irish hare showing its distinctive white tail feature

Mad March Hare

Did you know that the Irish hare is unique to the island of Ireland and our fastest land mammal? Discover all the mad facts.

Learn more about our native Irish hares

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 — Spot red squirrels high up in trees or gathering nuts on the ground

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 — Will you be lucky enough to spot a long-eared owl at Crom?

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 plays host to a vast array of rare wildlife so keep a careful eye out on your visit

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

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.

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.