Inspiring an Interest in Our Brilliant British Wildlife

The UK may look small on a map (it’s less than 0.05% of the Earth’s surface) but it’s home to loads of great habitats and is surrounded by miles of stunning coastline. Our wildlife is globally important and should be celebrated, but it is also under threat. Lots of species are in decline and habitats are being damaged and lost all the time.

The hope is that the more people know about our unique wildlife, the more they will enjoy it and care about protecting it for future generations.

Read on for some fascinating facts about UK wildlife and a summary of our favourite activities and primary teaching resources to get children inspired by nature. 🦊
 

Facts about Wildlife in the UK

The UK is home to over 70 000 species (including animals, plants, fungi and other small organisms) and around 60 different habitats ranging from sandy coastal dunes to temperate rainforests. It is particularly important for some species — for example, around 40% of the world’s grey seals are found around the UK’s coast.

Sadly, the UK is nowhere near as wild as it once was, and the damage to our ecosystems is ongoing. Here are some of the things that are happening across the country:

• Habitats are being lost as land is developed for building, farming and industry. They are also suffering from more intensive farming, pollution (including plastic pollution) and climate change.
• The numbers of many bird species are declining — even species that are thought of as common and that live in urban areas (e.g. starlings, house sparrows and gulls).
• There are a number of invasive species in the UK, such as the grey squirrel, American mink and signal crayfish. These can outcompete native species for food and may even prey upon them.
• In the past, the UK lost species such as wolves, lynx and beavers. Today, other species are in danger of extinction here — including the red squirrel, Scottish wildcat and the turkey-sized capercaillie.

But it’s not all doom and gloom! Here are some causes for celebration:

• Many projects are ongoing to restore important habitats, such as wetlands, and to develop more sustainable farming practices.
• Pine martens from Scotland have been reintroduced to several places across the country. It’s believed that these tree-dwelling predators are helping the recovery of red squirrels by preying upon the invasive grey squirrels.
• Other species have also received a helping hand from humans. Both the common crane and beaver went extinct in the UK in the 1500s, but there are now populations of both breeding here thanks to reintroduction programmes.
• Natural history series such as Blue Planet and Wild Isles are encouraging people to do more to protect the environment.

British Wildlife Primary Resources

Discover more about nature in the UK with CGP+. Here are some of our favourite activities and teaching resources to get you started:
 

Wildlife Reading Comprehension Resources

Get children practising their reading comprehension skills with these texts and questions for a range of ages and abilities:

• The Common Toad (Year 1)
• Bringing Back the Beaver (Year 2)
• Wildflowers (Year 3) — also available as a foundation version
• Fallow Deer (Year 4) — also available as a foundation version
• Peppered Moths (Year 5) — also available as a foundation version

How to be a Naturalist

You can use these resources to train up wannabe naturalists:

• Identifying UK Wildlife Worksheets — there are seven of these, each focusing on a different group of animals, from mammals and birds of prey to butterflies.
• Minibeast Identification Sheet (Year 2)
• River Animal Fact File Worksheet (Years 3-4)
• Be a Naturalist and Name That Tree! Posters

How to Help Wildlife

Show children how they can make a positive change for UK wildlife with these resources:

• 5 Ways to Make a Difference Poster
• How to Make a Bird Feeder Activities (Reception)
• Design a Wildlife Garden Activity (Year 4)
• Making a Bug Hotel Activity (Year 4)
• Nature Reserves Questions and Letter Writing (Year 4)

Information PowerPoints and Videos

Teach children more about UK wildlife and habitats with these front-of-class teaching resources:

• All About Spiders PowerPoint (Reception)
• Endangered UK Wildlife PowerPoint (Years 1-2)
• Brilliant Badgers — Finding Key Words PowerPoint (Year 2)
• Comparing Habitats in the UK PowerPoint (Year 2)
• Biodiversity Loss PowerPoint (Years 3-4)
• The Life Cycle of Butterflies and Frogs Videos (Year 5)

Sir David Attenborough Resources

Last but certainly not least, we have a number of resources on the great British wildlife icon, Sir David Attenborough. Use these resources to learn more about the life of Sir David Attenborough and inspire any future successors:

• Sir David Attenborough PowerPoints — for Years 1-2 and Years 3-6
• Sir David Attenborough Comprehension Resources — for Years 1-2, Years 3-4 and Years 5-6
• Sir David Attenborough — Design an Animal (Years 1-2)
• Plan a Nature Documentary Worksheet (Years 3-4)

We hope you enjoy using our resources with your children and don’t forget to get out there and explore nature. Let us know what you get up to and keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram pages for more. 🐾