Wildlife
The Yorkshire Dales is home to a rich and varied range of wildlife including many species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies and moths, and other invertibrates.

Five ground nesting birds of particular importance in the Dales are the curlew, skylark, red grouse, lapwing and oystercatcher.  The upland heath areas of the Yorkshire Dales, dominated by heather, are ideal breeding grounds for hen harriers, merlins and golden plovers.  In contrast, the limestone grassland is an ideal habitat for lapwings and the northern brown argus butterfly.

In the ancient semi-natural woodland of the western dales the red squirrel still has a tenuous hold but there is a continuing threat from grey squirrels competing for food and living space.  Hedgerows are restricted to a few lower lying locations, mainly in Wensleydale, Airedale and the western dales, and these are important for farmland birds such as grey partridge and song thrush as well as bats, butterflies and moths.  The Yorkshire Dales are now part of the front line in the drive to halt the decline of the Black Grouse, which needs a variety of habitats.

Other species of importance include the peregrine falcon (which nests at Malham Cove), adder, great crested newt and white-clawed crayfish, to name just a few.  The image shows a brown hare.