Even on a brief visit to Mull it will soon become obvious that this
is a good place for wildlife. Red deer roam the hills. Eagles and Buzzards
soar over the skylines. Seals and otters can be seen in many of the bays
and inlets. Mull's blend of mountains, coastline, moorland and bogs is
a wonderful habitat for both flora and fauna. Click on the links to the
right for more detailed information.Mull is one of the best places to see whales and dolphins in the UK
and Europe too. The waters around Mull are home to bottlenose dolphins,
minke whales and harbour porpoises. Risso's dolphins, killer whales, common
dolphins and Atlantic white-sided dolphins are also common visitors to
the area. For more information on whales and dolphins in Scotland and the best
places to see them on Mull, visit the Hebridean
Whale and Dolphin Trust's Marine Discovery Centre in Tobermory.
Red deer are seen on the hills and in the many forests here. Fallow deer inhabit the wooded area around Gruline and Salen and
wild white goats are found from Grass Point in the south-east down to the
Ross of Mull in the south-west. There are also polecats, weasels, stoats, feral ferrets, rabbits, blue
and brown hares and rats.
Field voles and mice help feed the buzzard population and of course
the many cats, both domestic and feral, that live on the island. There
is a good population of shrews and pygmy shrews, the latter being a protected
species.
Mink, fur-farm
escapees, pose a potential problem for
seabirds and waders and a mink control
study has recently been conducted on the
island.
Evidence of moles can be seen almost every where and they have been
known to appear by the roadside. An unusual sight for a passing walker!
Lizards can be found basking in the sun on dry stone dykes and slow
worms sunning themselves on the grass and moss. Frogs are plentiful and
there is also a healthy population of both toads and newts. Grass snakes
and adders do well here, too.
Beautiful dragonflies are regular visitors to ponds and bogs in the
summer and there are always plenty of colourful butterflies and moths to
be seen, along with their creepy crawly, hairy caterpillars.
One of Mull's natural assets is its rich variety of bird life.
Mull, Iona and the surrounding islands support a varied range of birdlife. The
rarer birds to be seen are the Corncrake and the White-tailed Eagle or Sea
Eagle. For more information click on the links to the right. If you have caught a tantalising glimpse of an eagle or a
peregrine, at Wings over Mull you
can see birds of prey at close quarters - from the diminutive Merlin or the
beautiful Barn Owl to the magnificent Golden Eagle, and the owners can tell you
all you want to know about these awe-inspiring birds."
Wildlife expeditions with local experts
are available on the island,
picking up from either the ferry or from
hotels. This is certainly the way
to make the best of a wildlife visit and
saves a lot of research and effort. For
Wildlife Tours and Walks please click on
the links below.
Isle of Mull
Wildlife Expeditions
Island Encounter
Wildlife Safaris
Discover Mull
About Mull
Tours and Taxi
Mull
Magic (Guided Walks)
|
