The wildlife of Scotland and where to see it.
White 'leucistic' Red deer stag seen in Scotland. Details. There are many spectacular sights and opportunities in Scotland for wildlife watching. The Golden eagles at Ardnamurchan and Loch Shiel, Sea eagles on Mull, ospreys at Loch of the Loewes and Boat of Garten, the vast sea bird colonies of the coasts and islands, the whales and dolphins of the Western Isles and the Cromarty Firth, the Red deer, the forests and many of the UK's finest and rarest birds.
County by county
Recent Scotland news
- Satellite tracking Scotland’s birds of prey
- Water voles living at altitude on Beinn Eighe
- Humpback whales off Aberdeen for 2 weeks
- Scottish river ‘rebent’ to help wildlife
- The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds… and bees, bats, butterflies and bugs!
- Second Lanarkshire gamekeeper convicted of poisoning offences in a week
- Former gamekeeper convicted of bird poisoning
- Scottish beavers – No effect on streams so far
- Journey’s end as red kite is found poisoned
- Wives and girlfriends urged to speak out against badger baiting
- Scotland’s white-tailed eagles reach record numbers since
- English egg collector jailed for fourth time
- Maltese hunters arrested for killing birds in UK
- Wildcats caught on camera in Scotland
- England’s hen harrier reaches new low - Just 4 pairs
More Scotland news
- Gamekeeper admits poisoning buzzards
- Giant pandas coming to Edinburgh Zoo – What is the point?
- Scotland’s red kites weather the storms
- Peregrine persecution on grouse moors
- Irish eagle rescued in Scotland
- Bringing conservation to Scotland's grouse moors
- Scotland's "seabird cities" still in crisis
- A century of protection for Britain's birds of prey but the poisoning goes on
- Arctic seal visits Scottish nature reserve
- How cows staged the comeback of rare chequered skipper in Lochaber
- Feral goat cull on Scottish island of Rum
- Spectacular pictures from rutting season
- Loch Gruinart’s record-breaking influx of barnacle geese
- Coal power station receives most objections in Scottish planning history
- Rare Pygmy sperm whale strands on Scottish Island
Sei whale spotted off ScotlandAerial photos taken by a Scottish paramedic of a large whale between Islay and Gigha off the west coast of Scotland have intrigued international scientists on both sides of the Atlantic. On balance they believe the sighting is most likely to be of a very rare Sei whale.
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Leatherback turtle seen off ScotlandDuring a routine cetacean research survey, researchers and volunteers from the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust were treated to an unusual encounter between Skye and Harris when they spotted a massive Leatherback turtle, measuring about 1.5 metres.
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Largest ever attempt to remove mink from Scotland is underway The largest ever initiative to remove breeding American mink from north Scotland is now underway, covering 20,000 square kilometres, from rural Tayside across Aberdeenshire, Moray, the Cairngorms and the Highlands.
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100 pilot whales in danger of stranding in Scotland.The Scottish SPCA and British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) are monitoring up to 100 pilot whales thought to be in danger of becoming stranded off the South Uist coast.
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Extraordinary 26 year old osprey has returned to Loch of the Lowes for 21st yearThe Scottish Wildlife Trust has confirmed that the osprey thought to be oldest breeding female of its kind ever recorded in the UK (Or probably anywhere) has returned for the 21st consecutive year to the Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve in Perthshire.
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First ospreys arrive back in the UKThe ospreys are back. EJ has arrived at Loch Garten, and the romantically named 03(97) is back at his nest at Rutland Water, and other ospreys have been sighted all over the UK, but as yet there is now sign of the 'Lady of the Loch', the amazing 25 year old bird from The Loch of the Lowes.
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100 Killer whales off Ireland and ScotlandThe Irish Naval Service have reported an unprecedented feeding aggregation of Killer whales in offshore waters off northwest Ireland.
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Sea eagle numbers reach new levels in ScotlandThe Scottish population passed the 50 breeding pairs milestone and produced more young per pair than in any other year since their reintroduction 35 years ago.
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Birdcrime still on the rise in the UK – 384 reported incidents in 20092009 was another shocking year for the persecution of birds of prey with incidents of shooting, trapping and poisoning, according to the RSPB's 20th annual Birdcrime report.
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First wild beavers born in Scotland for 400+ yearsThe first beaver kits to be born in the wild as part of the Scottish Beaver Trial have been seen in Knapdale Forest, Mid-Argyll.
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Worst year on record for bird poisoning in Scotland – 20092009 marked the highest number of confirmed poisoning incidents discovered in a single year in Scotland in the past two decades, according to an annual report by RSPB Scotland.
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Six eagles and nine buzzards amongst twenty one raptors poisoned across Britain & IrelandA horrific total of 6 eagles, 10 buzzards, 3 red kites, a Peregrine falcon and a sparrowhawk have all been poisoned in recent weeks across Ireland, England and Scotland. And these are just the ones that we know about and have been discovered.
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Two more beavers released in ScotlandTwo more beavers have been released in Scotland, replacements for the missing beavers from the 2009 release.
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Osprey update 2010 - First ospreys arrive back in the UKThe bird thought to be oldest breeding female of its kind ever recorded in the UK returned for the 20th consecutive year to the Loch of the Lowes wildlife reserve, astonishing wildlife experts.
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Are Sea eagles coming back to Suffolk? Vote on what you think should happenIn any debate about conservation, it is always important to discount 10% of the arguments at either end of the range, as some people will support all conservation, no matter what the cost or practicalities, and others would complain about spending 5 Euros to save the last elephant. Somewhere in the middle is a rational debate and, usually, the right answer.
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Britain’s only resident orca pod – No breeding for 20 yearsThe conservation status of the group is thought to be critical since no live calves have been sighted since research began almost two decades ago.
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418 species of bird recorded in Britain in 2008With up to 418 species of bird spotted in Britain, 2008 is looking likely to smash records for the number of bird species seen within a single year.
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Scottish beaver trial – Beaver disappears after shots heardAfter the first week, one adult female disappeared; the time of her disappearance coincided with unauthorized shooting heard in the same area. There has been no sign of the animal since and the matter has been reported to the local police for further investigation.
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Golden eagle poisoned in West ScotlandStrathclyde Police officers have carried out an extensive search of Beinn Udlaidh in the Glen Orchy area of Argyll following the discovery of a dead golden eagle.
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Scotland welcomes back the beaver – Wildlife Extra questions the costMarking the first formal reintroduction of a native mammal species into the wild in the UK, three beaver families have now been released at carefully selected sites in Knapdale Forest, Mid-Argyll.
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Water vole research at Loch Leven
Extensive research at Loch Leven has shown how otters are good for water voles.
See the full report.
Articles about the wildlife of the UK
- The best seal-watching spots in Britain
- Where to see the deer rut
- The Bottlenose dolphins of Scotland's west coast
- A visit to the Red kites of Gigrin Farm, near Rhyader in Wales
Great British Marine Animals - 3rd Edition
Many people think of the waters around Great Britain as cold, grey and fairly lifeless. This book will put you right (though noone can argue about the water temperature).Read full review »
The Breeding Birds of North-East Scotland
If you live in the North East of Scotland, and you like your birds, you probably already have this book. If not, you should get it.Read full review »