Find the nearest Animals & Wildlife

Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve runs for about three miles from Skegness to The Wash and covers around 430 hectares of sea shore, an extensive complex of sand dunes, marshes and freshwater habitats. It is a totally unspoilt stretch of coastline important for its international scientific interest and managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust The public is welcome here and there are pathways that lead you easily through the different habitats and keep the intrusion on nature to a minimum. An observation platform for the public to view the Mere and the lagoon is at Mill Hill and gives you a wide panoramic view of the area. Designated as a site of international wetland importance, the reserve is an area of geomorphological importance. There’s a great visitors centre where you can explore the habitats through the multi media and interactive displays. We’ve heard The Point Cafe is good too with scrumptious food being served while you kick back and soak up Mother Nature at her best. The reserve staff offer guided walks, children’s activities, day and residential training courses.  The reserve is open from 10am to 4pm daily but may close early in bad weather conditions. Admission is free but car parking charges apply and they ask that groups book in advance.

Anglesey Sea Zoo has a large aquarium, shipwreck with congor eels, shark pool. Talks throughout the day helping to explain the 150 native species, diving displays and daily feeds are all part of the visit. As well as the fishes you have a gift shop, cafe, crazy golf, adventure playground and octojump bouncy castle. Open daily from February half term to October half term. Visits outside of this time can be arranged by contacting the Zoo. Visit sea zoo website for more details!

Belfast Zoo is home approximately 130 different species, surrounded by stunning panoramic views across Belfast Lough.

The Saltee Islands are a pair of privately owned islands small islands sitting 5km off the southern coast of Wexford. The two islands are Great Saltee (89 hectares) and Little Saltee (37 hectares) and are a Special Area of Conservation. The islands are a breeding ground for Fulmar, Gannet, Shag, Kittiwake, Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin and Grey Seal. An area surrounding both islands and extending approximately 500m off shore was granted the status of a Special Protection Area to protect the bird habitat. Day visitors are  allowed on the Great Saltee between 11:30 and 16:30  only, with arranged trips from the closest fishing village on the mainland at Kilmore Quay.

Two ancient woodlands now nature reserves around Morpeth. Take a walk along the riverside path at Scotch Gill. It is a great place to visit to spot otters, kingfishers, trout and to hear woodland birds such as spotted flycatcher, long tailed tit and jay. The Ancient Woodland of Borough Woods Local Nature Reserve was once owned by the Abbey itself and is on the south bank of the River Wansbeck. There are footpaths throughout the woodland, including a circular route from the car park at High House Road.

A large, shallow, freshwater storage reservoir and is the largest freshwater body in Essex. The reservoir contains around 25,000 Megalitres. It is a pumped storage reservoir. This means water is pumped from the rivers Chelmer, Blackwater and Stour to fill it, rather than simply relying on rainfall in the limited catchment area. The reservoir was formed by damming a shallow river valley. There a plans to increase the capacity of Abberton reservoir to 40,000 megalitres by raising the bank height all the way round. On its margins are found well-established plant communities that provide important opportunities for feeding, nesting and shelter. Abberton Reservoir is important as an autumn arrival area for waterbirds that then spend the winter elsewhere. Designated a Special Protection Area as a result of its over-wintering populations of Golden Plover, Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal and for its breeding population of cormorants. In addition there are significant numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Coot, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Pintail, Wigeon and Great Crested Grebe. The Reservoir was used by the RAF’s 617 Squadron (“The Dam Busters”) for practice runs prior to the bombing of the German Dams in the Ruhr during World War II.

At Bede’s World you can learn all about Bede and the Anglo-Saxon way of life in Northumbria. IncludesDemonstration farm and meet the animals including wild boar pig, goat and goose. Replica buildings made of wattle and daub – built with truly original materials and methods using skills that would have been present around 700AD. Cafe. Souvenir and gift shop.

Langstone is a small village on a road which leads from Havant to Hayling Island. The village High Street is designated as a Conservation Area, while the coastal path leading eastwards from the village is both part of Hampshire County Council’s Solent Way and Wayfarers Walk. Langstone Harbour includes a RSPB reserve that occupies one third of the Harbour – a muddy estuary that attracts large numbers of birds all year round. Terns, gulls and wading birds descend to breed on the islands in spring and summer, while thousands of waders and brent geese migrate from the Arctic to feed and roost in safety here. Langstone Harbour tidal estuary and consists mostly of intertidal mud but includes five small islands composed of salt marsh and shingle ridges.

Northumberland Wildlife Trust nature reserves. This seven mile bay stretches from Amble to Cresswell. Opencast mining in much of this previously flat and and almost featureless landscape has allowed the creation of many wetland areas and lakes which are a magnet for wild life. This area has a number of reserves: Hauxley Nature Reserve, Druridge Pools, Cresswell Pond and the 100 acre reedbed and deep water pools, purpose designed at East Chevington.