You'll find lots of wild flowers and animals of a wide variety of species during your visit to the Island. Large areas of our countryside are designated as Nature Reserves by the Manx Wildlife Trust, aimed at protecting the species which reside in them. Some of these reserves, alive with the song of birds, are accessible by the public.
To find out when in the year you can expect to see different species out and about, please refer to our Wildlife Calendar.
Differences in Species
According to legend, St Patrick banished toads and snakes
from the Island upon his arrival, and you won't find any to this
day. British mammals which are notable by their absence from the
Isle of Man include voles, badgers, squirrels and foxes. By way of
compensation, we can claim two particularly unusual four-legged
inhabitants. One is the famous Manx cat, which is tailless and has longer
hind legs than most other breeds. The other is the Loaghtan sheep,
which has four horns and a rich brown fleece, and is thought to
have been introduced by the Vikings.
Manx Bird Life
A charity was set up in 1997 to monitor and scientifically research
birds on the Island. In 1998, they began their five-year
research programme to survey the Island using new and innovative
techniques. Research is conducted through both winter and
summer months, to provide the Island with its first comprehensive
study of birdlife on the Island. The presence of birds is
generally accepted as a sign that the environment in which they are
living in is healthy, so when fluctuations occur analysis can be
conducted to establish what is changing within the
environment. For more information about the Manx Bird Life,
click
here.
Basking Sharks
The waters around the Island are popular for a certain species of
shark, although they are Plankton-eaters so they don't pose any
threat to humans. They thrive on the ecological diversity
which is present beneath Manx waters. For more information
about Basking sharks around the waters of the Isle of Man, please
click here.
Calf of Man
Off the southern tip of the Island is the Calf of Man. This
small islet is a perfect habitat for many creatures and as such is
protected as a nature reserve. Only a few people live on the
Island, although boat trips are organised for the summer months to
allow you to explore the island for yourself.
Curraghs Wildlife Park
Curraghs is the Island's only wildlife park. This spacious
park has a number of different animals, from butterflies to
zebras.