Gower offers 'wildlife watching on the doorstep'

Gower's 'rich wildlife habitat' is a must-see for nature-lovers

Starfish on Gower

With spring fast approaching, The Independent published a report on the best places in the UK to watch wildlife. Gower, with its diverse landscape and natural history, was given special mention:

"Our coastlines provide some of the richest wildlife habitats in the country, and the Gower Peninsula in Wales was the first area in the UK to be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, 50 years ago this May.

The wide variety of habitats - cliffs, sand dunes, marshes and woodland - attract a huge range of animals, including rare dune-dwelling insects, otters and badgers.

But the highlight is the birdlife, particularly around Worm's Head. The caves peppering the coastline are home to bats during spring. Walk from the visitors' centre at Rhossili to Rhossili Down Commons for fantastic views of Worm's Head."

The BBC recently reported that Gower 'hosts some of the most important otter sites in the UK'.

Swansea Bay is blessed with a number of locally, nationally and internationally protected sites, including 10 Nature Reserves, 24 Wildlife Trust Reserves, 32 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 5 Special Areas of Conservation.

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