The Wildlife of South Wales

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South Wales is home to many different species of wildlife, uniquely adapted to area habitats and ecosystems. Most notable, of course, are area seabirds, which draw visitors and experts from all over to view and experience, study and conserve. For visitors who are interested in seeing the local wildlife for themselves, there are any of a number of opportunities to do just that.

South Wales Wildlife Visitor Centres

If you are wondering where to begin your search for the wildlife of South Wales, consider one of their excellent wildlife visitors centres. There are a number of excellently managed nature reserves where you can go and absorb the countryside at will, but these visitors centres are designed to provide you with an introduction and a bit of perspective on wildlife areas. The Welsh Wildlife Centre, for example, is located in the Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve and boasts an award winning design largely made up of views on Teifi River, Cardigan Town, and woodland. Within the centre is a set of interactive cameras that record the marsh wildlife for the benefit of visitors. Other major visitor centres include the Parc Slip Nature Centre, Lockley Lodge, Skomer Island, and Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre.

Skomer Island

One of the most important sites for wildlife conservation in South Wales, Skomer Island is home to many different and exciting wildlife species. Visitors to the island will encounter guillemots, razorbills, puffins, fulmars, kittiwakes, and manx shearwaters. The area is famous for its bird watching opportunities and the protected nesting opportunities that it offers. While there, you will also see the grey seals that make their homes nearby.

Skokholm Island

This island is, without a doubt, of critical importance. It has been dubbed a Site of Special Scientific Interest because it hosts the third largest breeding colony of manx shearwaters in the world. This colony contains fifteen percent of the world's population of these birds, birds that live their entire lives at sea and come ashore solely for breeding purposes. In addition, the island is home to approximately twenty percent of the EU population of stormy petrels. The two birds species come ashore only at night. Also on the island are some 4500 puffins and 2000 razorbills and guillemots as well as are rare rabbit maintained maritime grassland and many nationally rare invertebrates. Visitors will see grey seals, harbour porpoises, bottlenose and risso's dolphins.

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