Fauna

Animals

The area boasts a wide selection of native animals among which include, foxes, hares, rabbits, badgers, bats and frogs. Also the occasional common lizard can be found sunning itself on rocks or in the sand dunes. The plankton rich waters around the coast have produced regular sightings of dolphins and whales. Common and grey seals are to be found and easily viewed from various points along the shore. Various species of fish are also found around the costal waters making angling and beach casting very popular activities.

Birds

The area has always been popular with bird watching. Ornithologists have noted that the area has one of the highest diversity of wildfowl species in the country. These include Brent geese, curlew, lapwing, golden plover and oystercatchers. An internationally important population of breeding terns exist on Ladys Island Lake. Also it is a regular rest stop for migrating species including some American wader species.

Insects

There is a diversity of insects to match the wide range of plant life in the local ecosystem. The generally drier weather and warmer temperatures make conditions for many species better than elsewhere in Ireland. These insects also provide a large part of the diet for the various birds and animals in the area. Around the lakes can be found some of the more colourful examples such as butterflies, moths, dragonflies and ladybirds.

Flora

Flowering Plants

Almost all of the common species of plants and flowers found in southern regions of Ireland can be found in the region these include Wild Garlic, Blackthorn, Dog Rose, Pyramidal Orchid and Spring Gorse.

Also due to the areas proximity to Europe and the diversity of environments from arable land to salt water lagoon and a number of areas of protection and special interest. The plant life in the area has a number of distinctive species found no where else in Ireland. For example Ladys Island Lake is the mostly northerly habitat in Europe for Cotton Weed.

Algae and Seaweeds

Being a costal landscape the area has a number of different species of seaweeds and algae. Seaweeds are just a special type of algae from the sea. The costal rocks are covered in various forms depending on how long the particular species can survive exposed out of the water during tidal variance. Huge mounds of seaweed are often torn from their anchoring rocks during storms and are strewn on the beaches. In earlier times this was a valuable source of fertilisation for the local crop fields.

Lichens

The coastline around Carne and Carnsore point has quite a diverse habitat for lichens ranging from sheltered ditches with rotting vegetation to the more exposed and rocky coastline. Many species flourish in this environment and add some very distinctive colouring to many of the large exposed rocks around the coast.