Special Features - Safari UK

Safari UK
(24/05/07)

A surprising amount of exotic, unique wildlife lives in the UK. Increasingly, tourists are able to get up-close to experience them first hand in their natural habitat.

You're unlikely to see any of the animals you'd expect to see on a traditional safari - such as elephants and lions - in the UK, unless they've escaped from a nearby zoo. However, animal enthusiasts should still find plenty of species - from basking sharks to golden eagles - to keep them interested.

Shark-spotting in the UK

About 28 species of shark, including blue; spurdogs; basking; threshers; porbeagle; tope and dogfish - better known as 'rock salmon' at the fishmongers - live in UK waters.

Head down to the Cornish coast in southern England between April and June for sightings of 10 foot long basking sharks - the largest shark found around the British Isles - feeding in sheltered bays. They pose no threat to man but will still raise your adrenaline!

There have been unconfirmed reports of Great White sharks in Cornish waters in the past, so you never know what you might see if you keep your eyes peeled.

Alternatively, head to the Western Isles in Scotland, where basking sharks, dolphins and whales are all also seen regularly.

View a shark-spotting movie at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8sirQ1pQQk

The largest gannet colony in the world

The Bass Rock, in Scotland, is the largest gannet colony in the world - with 100,000 birds returning to breed here every year. It is regarded by Sir David Attenborough as one of the 'Twelve Wildlife Wonders of the World'. Although almost exclusively a gannet colony, the lower ledges of the Bass are home to shags, guillemots and razorbills, with seals hauling up on the rocks below. Oswald

The gannets return to the island each year to find their mate and their old nest. They spend most of the year on the Bass, until the end of October when the juveniles set out on their long journey down to the West Coast of Africa.

Check out the Scottish Seabird Centre's Bass Rock webcam. Alternatively, you can find information about buying tickets to visit and see the birds for yourself.

Golden eagles making a comeback

Another creature to watch out for in Scotland is the Golden eagle. These massive birds of prey live in the wild, open moorlands and mountains of Scotland, favouring islands and remote glens. They are most commonly found soaring high over hillsides in the Scottish Highlands. The few English eagles can also be looked for at the RSPB's Haweswater reserve and watchpoint in the Lake District.

These magnificent birds were on the cusp of extinction in the UK up until a few years ago, so you should feel very honoured to be able to view them in their natural habitat once again.

Check out the RSPB website for information on viewing golden eagles.

View wild seals

There are many places around the coast of the UK to watch seals in the wild. These beautiful creatures frequent the Irish Sea and can often be seen on the Wirral Peninsula in South Merseyside; and at Walney Island, Cumbria. Small groups may occasionally be seen in waters off Lancashire and North Merseyside while some individuals occasionally travel miles upstream in tidal stretches of our rivers.

The Irish Sea is also a great place to see dolphins and porpoises - especially off the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland.