At the start of 2014 I began a huge challenge: trying to see every different type of British animal in the wild. The list has changed a little bit over the year, but here’s the latest version. It includes mammals, amphibians and reptiles. In all, there are 107 species.
I’d seen a reasonable number before I started the challenge, but many of the ones remaining are, for one reason or another, tricky. Some are very rare, some restricted to small parts of the UK (including tiny islands), and others are hard to see because they’re nocturnal, or live at sea.
So, what progress have I made this year? I’ve visited different corners of Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Cornwall and Surrey on my quest, and spent quite a few hours trying to see some of our elusive animals.
New species seen:
- Daubenton’s bat
- Serotine bat
- Noctule bat
- Common pipistrelle bat
- Soprano pipistrelle bat
- Field vole
- Water vole
- Stoat
- Exmoor pony
- Smooth newt
- Great Crested newt
And species I haven’t seen, despite several attempts:
In all, I’ve seen 45 species, and still have 62 to go. It’s going to be a busy year next year!
Wild South 
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