The UK is home to an abundance of wildlife, from puffins to wild ponies and humpback whales. But would you be able to pinpoint where you might encounter these amazing creatures?
If the answer is no, you're not alone. A recent poll suggests that the knowledge of British wildlife is in decline. Many people not only struggle to identify wild animals but also have difficulty pinpointing where species such as beavers, hares and dolphins can be found.
The study, carried out by The Camping and Caravanning Club, polled 2,000 UK adults on their wildlife knowledge.
A staggering 73% of participants don't feel confident identifying tracks or animal footprints, while 51% said they don't know where different animals are most likely to be spotted.
One in five admitted that they wouldn't be able to name common species such as robins and badgers, and a quarter said they wouldn't feel confident identifying a dragonfly.
While the results are concerning, they don't necessarily come as a surprise. As wildlife populations dwindle – a 2024 report by the WWF revealed a "catastrophic" 73% decline in the average size of global wildlife in the last 50 years – so too seems to be our knowledge of them.
"Wildlife knowledge goes hand-in-hand with people's connection to nature," says Madeleine Birch, the PR and events manager at The Camping and Caravanning Club. "The reasons people don't engage more with nature included a lack of time and not knowing enough about it to take a real interest."
Together with the club's president, wildlife cameraman and presenter Hamza Yassin, The Camping and Caravanning Club has created an interactive map that highlights where wild animals in the UK can be found while simultaneously testing users' knowledge.
"It's important that people have a stake in the natural world and invest time and energy in protecting it," says Madeleine. Encouragingly, she says, the poll also indicated that a large majority of people (77%) are eager to deepen their knowledge about UK wildlife.
Fancy yourself a wildlife expert? Test your knowledge below.
Best wildlife cameras
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Wildlife camera features:
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Wanda Sachs is the Multiplatform Writer for Country Living and House Beautiful, exploring the latest in gardening, wildlife and sustainable living alongside interiors and property. She is particularly interested in human-interest stories, the intersection of design and pop culture, and the evolving relationship between urban and rural life. Previously, she served as Associate Editor at The Berliner in Berlin, where she reported on culture and fashion. Wanda studied English and German at the Goethe University Frankfurt and Exeter University.
