Although Ireland is home to only 30 native land animals, those animals make for fascinating experiences in the five national parks around Ireland. There are no large predators, so visitors can explore and experience the wildlife with relative safety. The diverse bird life makes Ireland a favourite with birdwatchers as well.

The biggest, and perhaps most spectacular mammal in Ireland is also unique to the country. Red Deer can be found in all the national parks – Killarney, Glenveagh, Ballycroy, Wicklow Mountains or Connemara – sometimes in surprisingly large numbers. Smaller mammals include pine marten, Irish stoat, red fox, mink, otter, badgers and hare, while fallow deer and sika deer can be seen in the Wicklow Mountains National Park as well. The famous Connemara ponies are found wandering the beautiful Connemara countryside, belying their domesticated roots.

Birdwatchers will appreciate the variety of raptors found in the hills and mountains of the national parks, with falcon, peregrine and owls featuring regularly. The Glenveagh National Park has recently introduced the Golden Eagle to the park, with considerable success. This raptor was declared extinct in Ireland in 1912, but is now making a comeback. There are hundreds of bird species to be found throughout Ireland, including waterfowl in the bogs and lakes.

There are of course zoos and aquariums that offer visitors and residents the opportunity to see a wide variety of wildlife. Dublin Zoo is home to Siberian tigers, rhinoceros, wolves, gorillas, orang-utans, chimpanzees, snow leopards, hippo and lion. Belfast Zoo showcases a similar variety of animals, including Asian elephants, white tigers and spectacled bears and more.

Belfast also has the Exploris Aquarium with interactive discovery pools and a deep water open sea tank featuring the interesting creatures of the deep. Many of the sea creatures seen here can be found off Ireland’s coast, where whale and dolphin are spotted at various times of the year. The Seal Sanctuary, also in Belfast, offers a fascinating insight into these clever creatures as well.

For the more adventurous, Fota Wildlife Park allows visitors to wander with free-roaming animals (though not the carnivorous kind). Situated over 70 acres on Fota Island in Cork Harbour, this wildlife park specialises in endangered or threatened species, some of which, like the Rothschilds Giraffe and European Bison, may never be seen in the wild again. Lemur, emu, various monkeys, kangaroos, red panda, penguin and even cheetah may be seen at Fota Wildlife Park.

Although Irish wildlife may not seem to offer a thrilling adventure, the lack of large predators means that visitors can walk or cycle through the national parks in relative safety. This affords visitors the opportunity to see smaller animals that make for interesting viewing, particularly in their natural habitat. For the more unusual, and dangerous, animals, a visit to one of the zoos or the wildlife park will certainly entertain and educate you.

If you interested in Ireland and Irish news and events – please find out more about New events in Ireland and see video about Ireland on our video website. http://www.daysinireland.com/ Unique version for reprint here: Experience The Wonderful Wildlife Of Ireland.