Wildlife on Exmoor

The National Park in the north of Devon is a haven for a vast array of wildlife, from red deer to the famous ponies to several rare bird species, plant life and even some of the UK’s rarest bats. A visit to Exmoor is sure to bring you face to face with some of the most majestic creatures in the British Isles.

Exmoor’s Ponies

Perhaps the most iconic of all of Exmoor’s wildlife is the pony population and it is rare to visit the National Park and not spot at least one grazing all over the moor. While the ponies are only wild in the sense that they roam freely, all of them are owned by the various land owners that live in the area, but this doesn’t mean you should approach them or attempt to pet or ride them! It does however mean that when you are enjoying a day out on Exmoor, you must remember to close all gates you pass through.

It is thought that the ponies you see today on Exmoor are direct ancestors of the original pony breeds that came to the UK from Alaska over 100,000 years ago. It’s not known when exactly the herds began to gather on Exmoor, but they are mentioned in the Domesday book and their numbers were recorded from the 1500s onwards. Following the second World War, numbers of the ponies dwindled, with only around 50 ponies registered for the whole of Exmoor, however, thanks to breeders and Mary Etherington, the numbers have been increasing ever since. There are now 500 registered Exmoor ponies in the National Park and around 3,500 worldwide.

For a chance to catch sight of the new foals, make sure to visit Exmoor during the spring and early summer, where you can see them trotting around after their mothers. Alternatively, visiting in the colder months, you’ll be able to spot the differences in the ponies coats as they grow a much thicker coat in the winter compared to their summer coats which are typically smooth and glossy.

There are around twenty different herds roaming Exmoor, two of which are owned by the National Park and you can find out more about the different ponies and their history by visiting the Exmoor Pony Centre in Ashwick. The Exmoor Pony Society was established in 1921 as the formal guardian of the Exmoor pony breed. A registered charity, the society maintains the Exmoor Pony stud book in accordance with DEFRA legislation, is an approved Passport Issuing Organisation for the ponies and helps educate, inform and engage the public around this native breed.

Because the ponies are made up of different herds, they differ slightly in colour and build. The ponies range from a smokey brown, a reddish brown or a dark brown, though usually all the ponies will feature the same colouring around the eyes and nose and their manes and tail are darker.

Red Deer

Aside from the ponies, Exmoor’s other iconic sight is that of the red deer. The National Park is home to one of the UK’s largest herds of wild red deer which roam freely across the moor.

It is thought that red deer have lived on Exmoor since pre-historic times and certainly at one point the National Park was a Royal Forest which meant that the deer were protected in order to provide a good hunting ground for the King of the time.

Red Deer are the largest wild land animal that can be found in England, with adult stags reaching over 3 feet tall. As deer are able to exist on a varied diet, you’ll find them on moorland and farmland and even the wooded areas, where they go for shelter.

For a truly iconic sight, be sure to look out for the deer in April and May when the stags start to shed their antlers and begin to grow their new set. This is the time of year where you are likely to see them rubbing their heads on trees and when the young bucks start fighting for dominance in the herd. The calves are usually born in June and July typically on the edge of woodland or in moorland vegetation, so take care if visiting the moor at this time of year. If you do see a calf, it is important not to approach it, even if you think it has been abandoned, the calves tend to hide while their mothers are off with the herd grazing and will join the rest of the herd when they are strong enough.

Exmoor butterflies

Exmoor is one of the most important areas in the UK for butterflies and there are a number of rare and endangered species that call it home. It is thought that there are over 30 species of butterfly currently living on Exmoor, many of them are rapidly declining species that can now longer be found anywhere else in the UK.

Guides detailing the different butterflies can be picked up at visitor centres around the area and there are a number of guided walks that take you through their habitats. The butterflies living in the region are carefully monitored by a team of volunteers who keep watch for any changes in the habitat or the numbers of butterfly that can be found.

Bird watching on Exmoor

Exmoor is a popular location for bird watching, there are a number of bird species that can be seen all over the moor, including buzzards, sparrowhawks, kestrels, peregines, merlins, hobbies, hen harriers, red kites and goshawks.

Because of its diverse landscape, wherever you are on Exmoor, you’re likely to see at least one bird species. The coastal area is regularly visited by a variety of waders including Curlew Sandpipers and Oystercatchers. The woodlands provide excellent shelter for a range of birds including owls and finches, while the farmland provide the perfect habitat for lapwings and wagtails.

Smaller birds, including kingfishers and warblers live around the streams and rivers, plus you’ll be able to spot stonechats, winchats, egrets, hoopoes and mergansers. If you do want to try and spot some birds during your visit to Exmoor, make sure to visit Porlock Vale. This part of the moor has one of the most diverse bird habitats in the whole of Devon.

Don’t forget, you can book bird walks and wildlife safaris as well as a number of other guided tours of the National Park – these provide an excellent chance to see some of the amazing wildlife in their natural habitat with guides to tell you all there is to know about this area of Devon.