Dunster Beach Holiday Chalet

Wildlife

Exmoor is home to forty species of land mammals, including the red deer, Exmoor Pony and 15 species of bat. 111 species of birds nest within the National Park and nearly 1200 species of flowers and grasses have been recorded.

There are many unusual habitats on Exmoor which have not been disturbed where rare plants and animals live.

The Exmoor Pony, although not strictly wild, as they are all owned by someone, roams the moors. They have lived on the moor for longer than people have. It is the nearest breed we have to the original wild horses of Europe. Exmoor is unique in England as red deer have lived here since prehistoric times and half the red deer in England live on Exmoor.

Buzzards are a common site, soaring above the moors and villages and dippers and goosanders can be seen in the rivers. The woodlands provide shelter for Fallow deer and Roe deer, together with grey squirrels, hedgehogs and dormice. Woodpeckers, tree creepers and nuthatches all nest in holes in the trees and wood warblers and pied flycatchers feed on insects in the oak canopy. Butterflies are numerous (there are 1200 species of butterflies and moths here).

Exmoor's coastline is the highest in England. On the exposed cliffs guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and ravens nest, as well as rare peregrine falcons. From the cliffs you may spot an elusive seal or pod of dolphins. On the saltmarshes at Porlock you may see curlews and oyster catchers. There are 300 miles of rivers and streams on Exmoor alone and there are plenty of fish in the clear waters, including salmon and trout. The otter has
gradually increased its numbers here and you may catch a glimpse of these secretive creatures.