Although you won’t find any big game or large predators in Ireland, except in a zoo, there are many interesting animals to be seen in Ireland’s five national parks. Only 30 species of land animals are native to Ireland, but there is a wealth of birdlife to more than make up for this.
A visit to any of the national parks will afford you a glimpse of the magnificent Red Deer. These are the largest native mammals in Ireland, and are unique to the country. A visit to Killarney, Glenveagh, Ballycroy, Wicklow Mountains or Connemara National Parks will certainly give you an opportunity to see these deer in large numbers. You will also find red fox, pine marten, Irish stoat, mink, otter, badgers, hare and fallow deer throughout the parks. The Connemara ponies are a lovely sight, found gathered in herds throughout the Connemara National Park.
With over 100 bird species native to Ireland, birdwatchers will enjoy the national parks’ offerings. Raptors include owls, peregrine and falcon, with the Golden Eagle having been successfully reintroduced into Glenveagh National Park after it’s disappearance from Ireland in 1912. Golden plover, ravens and many other species can be found throughout the Irish countryside.
For a wider variety of wildlife from around the world, visitors can see Siberian tigers, rhino, hippo, lion, wolves, gorillas, snow leopards and orang-utans at Dublin Zoo. The facilities are well laid out, replicating the animals’ natural habitat as closely as possible. Belfast Zoo has Asian elephants, white tiger and spectacled bears as well as many other animals on show for visitors to enjoy.
The Exploris Aquarium and Seal Sanctuary in Northern Ireland features an open sea tank with deep water fish, and discovery pools for children to experience the creatures of the sea up close. The stunning coastlines of Ireland provide an opportunity to see seals and other sea life in their natural environment as well, and whale and dolphin can be seen at certain times of the year.
An innovative wildlife park can be found on Fota Island in Cork Harbour. Here, visitors can explore 70 acres of wildlife, most of it roaming freely between visitors. Almost all the animals in Fota Wildlife Park are endangered or threatened. Some, like the Rothschilds Giraffe and European Bison, will only be seen in captivity. The wildlife park features unusual species like red panda, lemur, emu, kangaroos and many more animals from around the world. They also have cheetah – but they do not roam freely through the park!
Although the native wildlife may not be as exciting as African big game, the lack of natural large predators gives visitors to the national parks an opportunity to explore the beautiful countryside in safety, even outside their cars. The well-equipped and beautifully laid out zoos more than compensate for the lack of naturally-occurring wildlife, allowing interaction, exploration and education about animals from around the world.
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