Wildlife

Skye is the perfect place for viewing a wide range of spectacular wildlife, including highland cows, red deer, white tailed sea eagles, otters, dolphins, whales and many more. You can expect some wildlife encounters without searching too far; there is a large population of red deer which can be spotted all year round, but particularly during winter months when they come down from the hills to graze, and highland cows can be seen grazing in their fields.

Otters can also be seen on the shore in various places across the island if you are patient enough – Kylerhea Otter Hide is one of the best places in Britain to spot them. If you want insider knowledge on the best spots, why not book a tour with a local guide, such as Isle of Skye Wildlife Tours?

Boat trips are a great opportunity to get up close to the more elusive offshore animals. Why not try Stardust Boat Trips, Portree’s original sea eagle and wildlife trip, or SkyeXplorer from Uig – guaranteed to see puffins and seals – whales and eagles with luck! Further south on the island you can take a boat trip from Elgol with Bella Jane or Misty Isle and visit the resident seal colony, or take the Seaprobe Atlantis glass bottomed boat from Kyle of Lochalsh to see marine wildlife such as starfish and jellyfish along with seals, otters and seabirds.

Spot local plants such as orchids and the famous Scottish heather as they brighten up the landscape. Or for something a little bit more lively, you can find carnivorous plants on Skye – the sundew is from the same family as the Venus flytrap, or the alien looking butterwort, which was considered a magical plant on some Scottish islands.