Fauna of England

Last updated

The fauna of England is similar to that of other areas British Isles [1] and lies within the Palearctic realm. England's fauna is mainly made up of small animals and is notable for having few large mammals, but in similarity with other island nations; many bird species.

Contents

England for the most part has an oceanic climate, which lacks extremes of heat or cold and provides plentiful rainfall making the country a rather 'green' environment and providing much food for small and grazing animals.

England is different in respect to Scotland in its wildlife due to its slightly warmer climate, lower land levels and more dense populations, and whilst this is bad for some species of animals, it is good for others.

The fauna of England is also very diverse since its landscapes are very different from each other and so this is represented in the fauna.

Overview

England has a temperate oceanic climate in most areas, lacking extremes of cold or heat, but does have a few small areas of subarctic and warmer areas in the South West. Towards the North of England the climate becomes colder and most of England's mountains and high hills are located here and have a major impact on the climate and thus the local fauna of the areas. Deciduous woodlands are common across all of England and provide a great habitat for much of England's wildlife, but these give way in northern and upland areas of England to coniferous forests (mainly plantations) which also benefit certain forms of wildlife. The fauna of England has to cope with varying temperatures and conditions, although not extreme they do pose potential challenges and adaptational measures. English fauna has however had to cope with industrialisation, human population densities amongst the highest in Europe and intensive farming, but as England is a developed nation, wildlife and the countryside have entered the English mindset more and the country is very conscientious about preserving its wildlife, environment and countryside.

European rabbit European Rabbit, Lake District, UK - August 2011.jpg
European rabbit

Some species have adapted to the expanded urban environment, particularly the red fox, which is the most successful urban mammal after the brown rat, and other animals such as common wood pigeon, both of which thrive in urban and suburban areas.

Invertebrates

Molluscs

There are 220 species of non-marine molluscs that have been recorded as living in the wild in Britain and England. There are also 14 gastropod species that live only in greenhouses.

Insects

Vertebrates

Amphibians

Pool frog Rana lessonae.jpg
Pool frog

The species of amphibian native to England are the great crested newt, smooth newt, palmate newt, common toad, natterjack toad, common frog and the pool frog. Several other species have become naturalised.

Reptiles

Four species of snake are, the European adder, grass snake, barred grass snake [2] and smooth snake. Some introduced snakes are aesculapian snake and dice snakes.

Adder Viperaberus2.jpg
Adder

Lizards found in England are slowworms, common lizards, sand lizards, European green lizards (introduced) and the common wall lizard (introduced from mainland Europe - found in the Isle of Wight.)

Turtles found off the English coast are the leatherback sea turtle, green sea turtle, hawksbill, loggerhead sea turtle, Kemp's ridley and appear to be visiting English waters in increasingly larger numbers as the seas around Britain warm due to climate change.

Terrapins found in England are the European pond terrapin (introduced from mainland Europe) and the red-eared terrapin (introduced, but not established).

Birds

Atlantic puffins are found in some areas of the English coast. Atlantic Puffin.jpg
Atlantic puffins are found in some areas of the English coast.

English avifauna bears resemblances to that of continental Europe, consisting largely of Palaearctic species. Being located on an island, it has fewer breeding species than continental Europe, with some species, like the crested lark, breeding as close as northern France, yet unable to colonise Britain. However England and the British Isles as a whole do boast many wading and shorebirds and England's coastlines are very important habitats for seabirds. England's coastline being generally flatter and sandier than that of its neighbouring UK countries is mainly a magnet for wading birds, but it does have some more rocky areas suitable for birds such as puffins.

The mild winters mean that many species that cannot cope with harsher conditions can winter in Britain, and also that there is a large influx of wintering birds from the continent or beyond and even as far as South Africa.

There are about 250 species regularly recorded in England, and another 300 that occur with varying degrees of rarity.

Mammals

Muntjac deer Formosan Reeve's muntjac.jpg
Muntjac deer
Minke whale and a boat in British waters Traditional Sailing Boat and Whale - geograph.org.uk - 624101.jpg
Minke whale and a boat in British waters

England boasts few large mammals, being mainly populated by smaller types. England has a few non-native species of deer which have become naturalized to the similar climate from areas of continental Europe and Southern Siberia and whilst the Scottish red deer thrives the most in Scotland, [3] smaller species of deer, both native and introduced thrive in England, with some being absent (such as the muntjac deer).

Roe deer Kid-jbk.jpg
Roe deer

Insectivores and other small mammals

There are also several species of insectivore in England and the rest of Britain. The hedgehog is probably the most widely known as it is a regular visitor to urban gardens. It is also vulnerable to road traffic, and many are killed crossing busy motorways and dual carriageways. The mole is also widely recognised and its subterranean lifestyle causes much damage to garden lawns and some gardeners trap or kill them (although this is illegal [4] ).

Shrews are also fairly common, and the smallest, the pygmy shrew, is one of the smallest mammals in the world. There are also several species of bat found in England: the pipistrelle bat is the smallest and the most common of them all. Rodents are also numerous across Britain and England, particularly the brown rat which is by far the most abundant urban animal after humans. Some however, are becoming increasingly rare. Habitat destruction has led to a population decrease in the number of dormice and bank voles found in Britain.

Grey squirrels introduced from eastern America have forced the decline of the native red squirrel due to competition. Red squirrels are now confined to upland and coniferous-forested areas of England, mainly in the north, south west and Isle of Wight. England's climate is very suitable for lagomorphs and the country has rabbits and brown hares which were introduced in Roman times. [5] [6] Mountain hares which are indigenous have now been re-introduced in Derbyshire.

Carnivores

European polecats Ilder.jpg
European polecats

There is a variety of carnivores, especially from the weasel family. These ranging in size from the weasel, stoat and European polecat (rare in England, mainly found in the Welsh Marches and heavily interbred with domestic ferrets) to the badger and pine marten, and the recently introduced mink and semiaquatic otter. There is an ongoing debate in England about whether badgers should be culled or vaccinated in order to reduce the spread of bovine tuberculosis. In the absence of the extinct wolf and brown bear, the largest carnivore is the red fox, the adaptability and opportunism of which has allowed it to proliferate in the urban environment. Weasels and foxes dominate the role of carnivores in England and are very common in the countryside and in towns and some cities.

Sea mammals

England's offshore waters are a haven for many sea mammals, including various types of whales, dolphins and seals. The grey seal although rare in other parts of the world is found in relatively large numbers along the English coast.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of India</span> Native animals of India

India is the world's 8th most biodiverse region with a 0.46 BioD score on diversity index, 102,718 species of fauna and 23.39% of the nation's geographical area under forest and tree cover in 2020. India encompasses a wide range of biomes: desert, high mountains, highlands, tropical and temperate forests, swamplands, plains, grasslands, areas surrounding rivers, as well as island archipelago. Officially, four out of the 36 Biodiversity Hotspots in the world are present in India: the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, the Indo-Burma and the Nicobar Islands. To these may be added the Sundarbans and the Terrai-Duar Savannah grasslands for their unique foliage and animal species. These hotspots have numerous endemic species. Nearly 5% of India's total area is formally classified under protected areas.

The fauna of Maine include several diverse land and aquatic animal species, especially those common to the North Atlantic Ocean and deciduous forests of North America. Some of these creatures' habitats has been reduced or fully removed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Canada</span> Native animals of Canada

The fauna of Canada consist of approximately 200 mammal species, over 460 native bird species, 43 amphibian species, 43 reptile species, and 1,200 fish species. The biology survey of Canada cites that there are approximately 55,000 species of insects, and 11,000 species of mites and spiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of the United States</span>

The fauna of the United States of America is all the animals living in the Continental United States and its surrounding seas and islands, the Hawaiian Archipelago, Alaska in the Arctic, and several island-territories in the Pacific and in the Caribbean. The U.S. has many endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. With most of the North American continent, the U.S. lies in the Nearctic, Neotropic, and Oceanic faunistic realms, and shares a great deal of its flora and fauna with the rest of the American supercontinent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Great Britain</span>

The island of Great Britain, along with the rest of the archipelago known as the British Isles, has a largely temperate climate. It contains a relatively small fraction of the world's wildlife. The biota was severely diminished in the last ice age, and shortly thereafter was separated from the continent by the English Channel's formation. Since then, humans have hunted the most dangerous forms to extinction, though domesticated forms such as the dog and the pig remain. The wild boar has subsequently been reintroduced as a meat animal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Armenia</span>

The wildlife of Armenia includes the wild boar, crested porcupine, various lizards, snakes and numerous species of birds and plants. Endangered species in Armenia are the bear, wild goat, Armenian mouflon and the leopard.

The wildlife of Japan includes its flora, fauna, and natural habitats. The islands of Japan stretch a long distance from north to south and cover a wide range of climatic zones. This results in a high diversity of wildlife despite Japan's isolation from the mainland of Asia. In the north of the country, north of Blakiston's Line, there are many subarctic species which have colonized Japan from the north. In the south there are south-east Asian species, typical of tropical regions. Between these areas lies the temperate zone which shares many species with China and Korea. Japan also has many endemic species that are found nowhere else in the world, making it home to many endangered/rare species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Jordan</span>

The wildlife of Jordan includes its flora and fauna and their natural habitats. Although much of the country is desert, it has several geographic regions, each with a diversity of plants and animals adapted to their own particular habitats. Fossil finds show that in Palaeolithic times, the region had Syrian brown bears, Asiatic lions and Syrian elephants, but these species are all now extinct in this region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Algeria</span>

The wildlife of Algeria is composed of its flora and fauna. Mountains, chotts, wetlands, and grassy desert-like regions all support a wide range of wildlife. The most commonly seen animals include the wild boars, jackals, and gazelles, although it is not uncommon to spot fennecs and jerboas. Leopards and cheetahs are seldom seen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Europe</span> Native animals of Europe

The fauna of Europe is all the animals living in Europe and its surrounding seas and islands. Europe is the western part of the Palearctic realm. Lying within the temperate region, the wildlife is not as rich as in the hottest regions, but is nevertheless diverse due to the variety of habitats and the faunal richness of Eurasia as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Asia</span> Native animals of Asia

The animals living in Asia and its surrounding seas and islands are considered the fauna of Asia. Since there is no natural biogeographic boundary in the west between Europe and Asia, the term "fauna of Asia" is somewhat elusive but it is a geographical name given. Temperate Asia is the eastern part of the Palearctic realm, and its south-eastern part belongs to the Indomalayan realm. Asia shows a notable diversity of habitats, with significant variations in rainfall, altitude, topography, temperature and geological history, which is reflected in its richness and diversity of animal life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Toronto</span>

The fauna of Toronto include a variety of different species situated within the city limits. Toronto contains a mosaic of ecosystems that includes forests, rivers, streams, and wetlands, which allows it to support a large variety of fauna. Approximately 87 to 90 per cent of the city's indigenous flora and fauna inhabit the city reside within the Toronto ravine system. The city's ravine system, creeks and rivers are wildlife corridors that allow animals to travel from one area of the city to another. Although most animals in Toronto reside within the ravine system, several animals also live in the city's urban environment and parks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Wales</span> Animals living in Wales

Fauna of Wales includes marine and land animals, birds and reptiles that are resident, visitors or have been introduced to Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Italy</span> Native animals of Italy

The fauna of Italy comprises all the animal species inhabiting the territory of the Italian Republic and its surrounding waters. Italy has the highest level of faunal biodiversity in Europe, with over 57,000 species recorded, representing more than a third of all European fauna. This is due to various factors. The Italian peninsula is in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, forming a corridor between central Europe and North Africa, and it has 8,000 km (5,000 mi) of coastline. Italy also receives species from the Balkans, Eurasia, and the Middle East. Italy's varied geological structure, including the Alps and the Apennines, Central Italian woodlands, and Southern Italian Garigue and Maquis shrubland, also contribute to high climate and habitat diversity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biodiversity of Wales</span> Variety of life in Wales

The biodiversity of Wales is the wide variety of ecosystems, living organisms, and the genetic makeups found in Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of California</span>

The fauna of the U.S. state of California may be the most diverse in the United States. Of the lower 48 contiguous states, California has the greatest diversity in climate, terrain, and geology. The state's six life zones are the lower Sonoran (desert); upper Sonoran ; transition ; and the Canadian, Hudsonian, and Arctic zones, comprising California's highest elevations. California's diverse geography gives rise to dozens of ecosystems, each of which has its own native plants and animals. California is a huge state, the third largest in the U.S., and ranges broadly in habitats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Louisiana</span> State ecology

The fauna of Louisiana is characterized by the region's low swamplands, bayous, creeks, woodlands, coastal marshlands and beaches, and barrier islands covering an estimated 20,000 square miles, corresponding to 40 percent of Louisiana's total land area. Southern Louisiana contains up to fifty percent of the wetlands found in the Continental United States, made up of countless bayous and creeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Montenegro</span> Native animals of Montenegro

Montenegro is the smallest Balkan nation in population and second smallest in land mass. The land mass is 13,812 square kilometres with 360 square kilometres of water. Montenegro's geography ranges from mountainous forested regions in the north where larger mammals are most common. Mediterranean coastline makes up the south end of the country, forested area makes up 40.4% of the nation's landmass. The most densely populated area of the country is the south coast and the most sparsely populated is the north east section of the country. The fauna of Montenegro is predominantly shared with surrounding Balkan nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Norway</span>

The wildlife of Norway includes the diverse flora and fauna of Norway. The habitats include high mountains, tundras, rivers, lakes, wetlands, sea coast and some lower cultivated land in the south. Mainland Norway has a long coastline, protected by skerries and much dissected by fjords, and the mostly-icebound archipelago of Svalbard lies further north. The flora is very varied and a large range of mammals, birds, fish and invertebrate species live here, as well as a few species of reptiles and amphibians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Spain</span>

The wildlife of Spain includes the diverse flora and fauna of Spain. The country located at the south of France has two long coastlines, one on the north on the Cantabrian Sea, another on the East and South East on the Mediterranean Sea, and a smaller one on the west and south west on the Atlantic Ocean, its territory includes a big part of the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and two enclaves in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla. and the different climate zones, Spain is one of the countries in Europe with the greatest biodiversity.

References

  1. "Natural History Museum" . Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  2. Carolin Kindler; Maxime Chèvre; Sylvain Ursenbacher; Wolfgang Böhme; Axel Hille; Daniel Jablonski; Melita Vamberger; Uwe Fritz (August 7, 2017), "Hybridization patterns in two contact zones of grass snakes reveal a new Central European snake species", Scientific Reports, 7 (1): Article number: 7378, Bibcode:2017NatSR...7.7378K, doi:10.1038/s41598-017-07847-9, PMC   5547120 , PMID   28785033
  3. James (2020-11-25). "7 Most Dangerous Animals in the UK: Deadly Wildlife Explored". Journeying The Globe. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
  4. "Foxes, moles and mink: how to protect your property from damage". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  5. "BBC - Science & Nature - Pets - Rabbits". Archived from the original on 2012-06-30. Retrieved 2012-04-18.
  6. "BBC Nature - Hare videos, news and facts". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2018.