The six best places to see Welsh wildlife

Wildlife enthusiasts can discover a wealth of fantastic animals in Wales, from ospreys and red kites to dolphins, otters and red deer. A visit to any of the places below will provide the opportunity to see wonderful Welsh wildlife in their natural habitats.

Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve

Cors Dyfi is home to an abundance of wildlife and a variety of landscapes, from scrub and woodland to swamps and bogs. One of the key wildlife attractions here are ospreys and the nature reserve is home to the Dyfi Osprey Project.

The reserve can be visited at any time of the year, day or night, though the osprey project is only open from April to September. Spring and summer are also good times to see other animal residents such as nightjars, common lizards and water buffalo which graze during the summer months. Dragonflies and damselflies can often be spotted and visitors might also catch a glimpse of dormice and otters.

The reserve is around 3.5 miles south west of the town of Machynlleth and there is a car park for visitors’ use. A boardwalk provides access throughout the site and is suitable for wheelchair use.

Gilfach Farm Nature Reserve

The stunning Gilfach Farm Nature Reserve is situated just north of Rhayader within the Marteg Valley. The reserve boasts diverse landscapes including woodland, scrub and meadows. This is a beautiful reserve that can be explored via a variety of walks, though it is also a working farm so visitors may see farm animals such as cows and sheep in addition to the local wildlife.

The reserve is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest as well as a Special Protection Area for birds and there are 73 species of bird residents that include the likes of red kites, grey wagtails, buzzards, barn owls and kestrels to name a few. The reserve is also home to a number of different insects including butterflies, grasshoppers and beetles. Bats, badgers, stoats, foxes, otters and hedgehogs are some of the other wildlife that visitors may be lucky enough to see.

The visitor centre is open from April to September but the reserve can be visited throughout the year.

Skomer and Skokholm Islands

Skomer and Skokholm Islands are located off the Pembrokeshire coast and are fantastic places to see Welsh wildlife, both on the islands themselves and the waters surrounding them. The islands are a great place for birdwatching and are home to thousands of manx shearwaters and puffins.

komer Island is particularly renowned for its puffin colony and together the islands have the biggest known concentration of manx shearwaters in the world. Visitors can see a wide variety of birds on Skokholm Island including storm petrels, guillemots, razorbills and gulls, while dolphins, porpoises and seals may be spotted in the waters around the island.

The islands can be visited from April to October and access is via boat. Useful visitor information can be found here.

Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve

The picturesque Teifi Marshes is situated near the village of Cilgerran which is not far from Cardigan in Cardigan Bay. During winter a large number of birds visit the marshes such as lapwings, snipes and teal and mallard ducks. Mink, otters, water shrews, sika deer and red deer live in the reserve, as do adders and grass snakes, dragonflies and a variety of fish.

The reserve offers intriguing wildlife throughout the year and visitors can also stop by the Welsh Wildlife Centre which is situated in the reserve.

Cardigan Bay

Cardigan Bay is one of the best places in Wales to see dolphins throughout the year. Sometimes dolphins can be spotted from the shore but the ideal way to see them is via boat. A boat trip is also a good opportunity to see some of the other wildlife that frequent the area such as grey seals and harbour porpoises as well as a variety of birds including manx shearwaters, guillemots, cormorants, oystercatchers and razorbills.

Anglesey

Anglesey has a host of wonderful wildlife that can be discovered through self-led explorations or guided walking tours. The diverse array of landscapes results in a variety of different wildlife that call Anglesey home.

Visitors may spot red squirrels, otters, weasels and woodpeckers among other wildlife at Llangoed Commons and Aberlleiniog woodlands, while Cemlyn Bay is a good choice for visitors seeking seabirds as well as grey seals and bottlenose dolphins. South Stack is also ideal for birdwatching during spring and summer as well as seeing butterflies, lizards and maybe even stoats and weasels.

An awe-inspiring array of animals waiting to be discovered

The exceptional variety of wildlife habitats that Wales means that you can see an excellent variety of wildlife in the country. From seabirds to squirrels and badgers to butterflies, animal lovers will find plenty of wildlife to keep them enthralled throughout their visit to these six beautiful Welsh locations.