Mammals to protect
It's said that there are 3 million inhabitants here for 11 million sheep! Several breeds (Black Welsh Mountain or Kerry Hill) originated here and have spread throughout the UK and Ireland. There are also many horses and ponies - particularly in Pembrokeshire and the Brecons Beacons. Other common mammals in the Welsh countryside include foxes, grey squirrels, rabbits, hares, roe deer..
The horseshoe bat, rare in other European countries, can be seen mainly in the south of the country, in the Pembrokeshire region. And most often in summer, when they are most active, in dry weather and/or at sunrise or sunset. Named for its horseshoe-shaped nose, it is also known as the Great Rhinolophus. It is the largest European specimen, unfortunately now threatened. It is estimated that over the last century, its population has declined by 90%, due to the increase in agriculture and housing. This species is very sensitive to disturbances in their roosting areas, and it is important to protect them. The increase in pesticides has also led to a decline in beetles, one of their food sources. Today, the Bat Conservation Trust in the UK is dedicated to the preservation of bats.
And finally, the dogs! The Welsh Corgi Pembroke and the Welsh Corgi Cardigan are two breeds of dog that originated in Wales. Since the late Middle Ages, these little fox-headed dogs - a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II! - have been considered outstanding herding dogs.
A paradise for birdwatchers
As far as birds are concerned, the miles of coastline are home to many species of seabird. The Welsh cliffs are on the north-south migration route. The Pembrokeshire region is home to the most species: the islands of Skomer and Skokholm are home to 6,000 pairs of petrels, as well as guillemots, razorbills, gulls and even a few rare red-billed choughs, a member of the crow family. This last species is most often seen from May to June, at South Stack Cliffs on the Isle of Anglesey. Grassholm Island boasts one of the world's largest gannet colonies, with around 30,000 pairs of birds. But the country's most representative bird is the puffin. In spring, they can be seen bringing in fish for their young. Colonies can be found everywhere, but more specifically in Pembrokeshire, where they make their home on the islands of Skomer, Skokholm and Bardsey.
Raptors are also widespread and protected species. Red Kites - eagles with red upper wings - had practically disappeared from the country, partly due to pesticides that weakened the eggs. However, since the ban on DDT - a powerful insecticide - there are now around a hundred pairs, mainly around Elan Valley.
Marine fauna: encouraging figures
The Pembrokeshire coastline is a nature reserve home to dolphins, sea turtles, porpoises, sea slugs and grey seals, which form a colony near Ramsey Island. Every year, a few hundred baby seals can be seen here. Unfortunately, marine pollution has increased since the sinking of the Sea Empress, which was carrying tons of oil off Milford Haven in 1996. The sinking of the Sea Empress was tragic - among other things - for birds, including the worst-hit species, the common scoter, of which a third of the population died. More than 20 years later, wildlife has reclaimed the area.
In New Quay, you can visit the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Center. They work in particular on monitoring dolphin populations in the bay, and you can even spend a day or a few hours with them on sea outings. The three most frequently counted species are: Atlantic grey seal (60 in June 2019, 43 in August, 77 in September), bottlenose dolphin (417 in June, 543 in August, 317 in September) and harbor porpoise (2 in June, 3 in August, 26 in September). They also take photographs to identify bottlenose dolphins, in order to better understand the species and its way of life. Cardigan Bay is one of only two areas in English waters with a semi-permanent dolphin population. (The other area is Morray Firfh Bay in Scotland.) While five species of dolphin can be seen, the bottlenose dolphin is the most present and observable species. Around 300 bottlenose dolphins are usually present in the bay, around 200 year-round, increasing in summer to peak in late September and October.
An estimated 66 gray seal pups are born each year. At birth, they have a white coat, so the pups are also known as whitecoats. It takes about a month for the white coat to give way to dense gray fur. When they're born, they hardly ever go in the water and stay on the coast. That's why, in autumn, you need to be vigilant on beaches where colonies are found, and not get too close to the babies, as on Marloes beach or at Blue Lagoon in Abereiddy.
Welsh rivers are teeming with trout and a few salmon, particularly in the Usk and Wye rivers.
A rich vegetation
Wales is rich in plant species: 1,100 of the 1,600 British species can be found here. Many of these are ferns and mosses, moisture-loving plants. There are even some alpine species; far from the pastures on the Snowdonia mountains, you'll find the Snowdon Lily, a kind of small white tulip, a remnant of the Ice Age that is found nowhere else and only flowers from late May to early June. In the rest of the country, the hills are covered with green grass, wild thyme and purple heather.
The flora is quite similar to that of England: meadows, moors and deciduous woods. Wales is an ancient massif transformed into a plateau by erosion. Once covered by forests, mainly of sessile oak, today only a few pockets of forest remain, a phenomenon due to climate and intense deforestation. In the north, at Llangernyw, one of the world's oldest trees still stands valiantly: the yew is thought to be around 4,000 years old. Pengelli Forest, in Pembrokeshire, remains the world's largest ancient woodland. In May, under the oak and ash trees, the flowerbeds are covered with blue hyacinths, violets and orchids. In autumn, they give way to mushrooms, including chanterelles, growing under the beech trees. Wild cherry trees and fields of maple are also part of the Welsh landscape.
