In the case of Scottish wildlife, there’s one creature particularly that draws extra vacationers than another. ‘Nessie,’ as she’s identified, is a gigantic marine ‘monster’ that many consider resides within the cavernous waters of Loch Ness, an over 800-foot-deep lake tucked throughout the nation’s Highlands. Typically described as “long-necked, scaly, and with a snake-like head,” Nessie has been stirring imaginations way back to the sixth century A.D. However whereas there have been greater than 1,000 eyewitness accounts of this legendary sea beast, nobody is aware of if she actually exists. Some say she’s only a large eel, mistaken for a monster. Others consider she’s a easy case of individuals seeing what they wish to see. Both approach, Nessie stays a worldwide phenomenon. Nonetheless, she’s not alone in these elements. Roughly 3,000 species name better Loch Ness dwelling, together with Atlantic salmon, wild boar and a bevy of microorganisms. 

The Scottish Highlands, a rugged and spectacular place of deep pine forests, glacier-carved summits and heather-clothed slopes, is dwelling to an array of numerous wildlife, as is the nation as an entire. We’re speaking whales that feed in Atlantic waters off Scotland’s shoreline and sea eagles circling the huge southern skies. Seabirds like petrels, cormorants, gannets and shearwaters breed on the western islands, whereas mountain hares and ptarmigans make their houses within the mainland’s higher reaches. 

Nat Hab’s Scotland’s Wild Highlands & Islands journey explores Britain’s ‘Final Nice Wilderness’ looking for a lot of this wildlife, vying for a doable Nessie sighting in Loch Ness whereas additionally searching for out seabirds within the Shiant Isles and majestic purple deer wandering the Western Highlands. From lovely Atlantic puffins to porpoises and seals, Nat Hab’s small-group journey scours the native panorama for all of the distinctive creatures that decision Scotland dwelling. 

Animals to See on a Scotland Journey

Whereas Scotland is dwelling to tens of hundreds of wildlife species, there are some that (along with Nessie) you’ll particularly wish to preserve an eye fixed out for. Listed here are six of our favorites. 

Puffins and Different Seabirds 

© Donald Shields

Puffins have earned the nicknames ‘clowns of the ocean’ and ‘sea parrots’ for his or her distinctive bodily options, which embrace brightly coloured triangular beaks, red-and-black eye markings, and quick, stocky builds (most puffins common about 10 inches tall).

Of the 4 puffin species, Atlantic puffins are those you’ll see proliferating alongside Scotland’s grassy cliff-tops after they’re not out at sea. These pelagic birds spend the majority of their lives on the open ocean, diving for meals of herring, hake and different small fish, although they return to land yearly to mate and breed. You’ll most certainly spot them in bulk alongside the nation’s coastal crags, together with the archipelagos of St Kilda, Orkney and Shetland, in addition to the uninhabited Shiant Isles, from late March/early April to mid-August. Warning: Put together for a cuteness overload!

Slavonian grebe seabird scotland

© Donald Shields

Different space seabirds embrace the Slavonian or horned grebe, a surprising diving fowl recognizable by its lengthy and golden earlike tufts adorning both aspect of its face. Search for them round Loch Ruthven and different massive lakes and reservoirs. Shags, oystercatchers and gannets, yellowish-headed white birds that occur to be the biggest seabirds within the North Atlantic, are additionally par for the course in these elements. 

Scottish Pink Deer 

scotland scottish red deer male with rack of antlers scottish highlands mountain landscape

Barely smaller than different Western European deer, Scottish purple deer are prevalent all through the nation’s forests, particularly throughout the Highlands. They’re Scotland’s largest wild land mammal, with males sporting spectacular branching antlers that proceed to develop all through their lives. Your greatest probability of recognizing these deer in massive numbers is on Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, a.okay.a. the Western Isles, most notably its important islands of Lewis and Harris. 

White-Tailed Sea Eagles

Scotland’s wild coastlines and distant isles present a dramatic backdrop for the majestic white-tailed sea eagle—the UK’s largest fowl of prey. With wingspans reaching as much as 8 toes, these highly effective raptors are sometimes seen hovering over sea lochs and rugged cliffs, scanning for fish and seabirds. Reintroduced within the Seventies after native extinction, sea eagles now thrive in locations just like the Isle of Skye and the Outer Hebrides. On hikes throughout the Sleat Peninsula, a lush lesser-known a part of the Isle of Skye, we’ll preserve one eye on the sky looking for white-tailed sea eagles. The most effective time to identify them is spring via early autumn, when nesting and fledging exercise peaks.

Seals and Different Marine Life

grey seals harbor seals spotted speckled selkie seal mythology scotland UK

Grey seals basking

Two sorts of seals make their dwelling alongside Scotland’s coast and inside its waters: widespread seals and grey seals. The previous are the smaller of the 2 and prefer to cozy up on sheltered seashores, particularly within the Hebrides and different northern isles, in addition to the mainland’s west coast. Grey seals choose Scotland’s extra uncovered waters and rocky shores, and are a lot bigger mammals, typically weighing greater than 750 kilos (whereas widespread seals are likely to faucet out at 350 kilos). Grey seals’ snouts are for much longer than their counterparts, and their nostrils sit additional aside. 

Different marine life contains harbor porpoises, the smallest cetacean in UK waters, which are likely to frolic round tidal channels, open shoreline and sea lochs, particularly alongside the west of Scotland (together with the Inside Hebrides and the Minches SAC, a Particular Space of Conservation purposely created to guard them). Minke whales are sometimes seen off Scotland’s coast between July and September, however preserve an eye fixed out for them from Might via October. 

Bottlenose Dolphins

bottlenose dolphin and baby leaping out of water scotland

© Donald Shields

Scotland’s waters are dwelling to the world’s most northerly colony of bottlenose dolphins. These playful and inquisitive marine mammals are recognizable by their darker grey backs and lighter grey fronts, quick beaks and curved dorsal fins. Search for them alongside the Knoydart Peninsula, Moray Firth and the Minch, a strait between the Scottish mainland and the Outer Hebrides. They’re most energetic between Might and October when meals is flourishing. 

Pine Marten

pine marten scotland

Small, with chestnut brown coloring, a pale-yellow ‘bib’ marking their throats and lengthy bushy tails, pine martens are a powerful sight. However whereas the nation is dwelling to about 3,700 of them, they’re notoriously tough to identify. Most pine martens reside within the woodlands of central and northern Scotland, tucked away in tree holes and previous birds’ nests in the course of the day and principally foraging at evening. Though these slender, mink-like carnivores like to climb, they do most of their looking on the bottom. For the perfect probability of seeing one, head to the stays of the nation’s once-vast Caledonian forest in the course of the summer time months.