Dad and son wildlife watching
Report your wildlife sightings
We want to hear about the wildlife you spot locally, especially some key species we work with - barn owls, red squirrels and hedgehogs.
Citizen Science alert! We are currently supporting the All-Ireland Squirrel and Pine Marten Survey.
Report your sightings of all three species in Northern Ireland
Your sightings help build a better picture of under-threat local wildlife and provide vital information to target conservation efforts to help protect them.
For all other wildlife sightings, please submit them to the National Database
Voles In Northern Ireland
Two non-native vole species are now present in Northern Ireland - the bank vole and the field (short‑tailed) vole - adding to our biodiversity but potentially posing risks to native wildlife and habitats. Bank voles, introduced to Ireland in the 1920s, have steadily spread and are now recorded in County Down, while field voles, first spotted in 2011 in north Antrim, have since been found in areas including the Belfast Hills. Although their full impact here is still being studied, evidence from elsewhere suggests they could harm ecosystems, with bank voles linked to declines in native species and invertebrates, and field voles known to damage young trees. Ulster Wildlife and Queen’s University Belfast are monitoring their spread and are asking the public to report sightings to help build a clearer picture.
