The biodiversity of Ireland

When touring around Ireland you might notice how little diversity there is amongst animals and habitats. You will see endless miles of farmland and woods, but that is pretty much it. This repetitive habitat is sustainable for traditional farm animals such as horses, sheep, cows, pigs, and donkeys. However, because of the lack of diverse habitats you also have a lack of variety amongst animals. While touring with John, who is an expert in this field, he said “There is less biodiversity here because there is less variation of habitat, and since there is less variation of habitat there will be less variation of life in general.” John would also point out different species of birds that we would see flying around. He pointed out birds such as the jackdaw, wag tail, sky lark, and great black backed gulls. He was able to point out these birds from a great distance. These birds are permanent residents, but some were just visitors. Some coming from places like Africa or Iceland. We also learned about the ocean habitat. It is not uncommon to see whales, seals, and dolphins along the coastal habitats of Ireland.

It is not only important to learn about the habitats for wildlife here in Ireland, but for the people as well. Most of the population lives near bodies of water whether it be an ocean or inlet. This might be because of previous. The people who live near the water live in bigger communities such as cities and towns, and the people who live inland tend to belong to villages. There are also miles and miles of farmland which are home to families who are permanent residents. There are some exceptions for the population density. For example there are also small coastal villages that we have seen but because of my previous experience here I know that there are large cities as well.