Seabirds & Wildlife
Ireland's Atlantic coast is one of the most important seabird breeding sites in Europe:
- Puffins — May to July on Skellig Michael, Cliffs of Moher, Rathlin Island
- Gannets — Small Skellig: over 25,000 breeding pairs, second-largest colony worldwide
- White-tailed Eagles — reintroduced in Kerry since 2007
In the sea and on land:
- Seals — Grey seals and harbor seals along the entire coast, especially in Howth, Dingle, on the Aran Islands
- Dolphins & Whales — Bottlenose dolphins, minke whales off Cork, Kerry, and Clare. The Shannon Estuary has the largest dolphin population in Europe
- Red Deer — the only free-ranging herd in Killarney National Park (over 700 animals)
- Connemara Ponies — the only native horse breed, wild on the hills of Connemara
Fun Fact: There are no snakes in Ireland — not because of St. Patrick, but because the Irish Sea prevented their migration after the Ice Age. There are also no moles.
