Wildlife Fact Sheets

These factsheets not only provide an amazing insight into the array of animals, plants and geology in Pembrokeshire but they also provide best practice and codes of conduct that will help you minimise your disturbance whilst out enjoying the coastline.

Download Wildlife Factsheets

About the Pembrokeshire Marine Code Factsheets

The Pembrokeshire Coast has some of the most unspoilt and spectacular coastline in the UK and was voted the second-best coastal destination in the world by National Geographic. It is an area rich in wildlife and is designated as being internationally important for marine habitats and species.

These factsheets not only provide an amazing insight into the array of animals, plants and geology in Pembrokeshire, but they also provide best practice and codes of conduct that will help you minimise your disturbance whilst out enjoying the coastline.

By buying this publication and following the codes of conduct you will help preserve and protect the marine wildlife that makes Pembrokeshire so special, ensuring that future generations also have the same opportunity.

Pick one up today from one of our current stockists:

  • Oriel y Parc – Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Visitor Centre
  • Seaways Bookshop – Fishguard
  • Pembroke Castle
  • St Davids Bookshop
  • ECoast – Saundersfoot
  • Really Wild Emporium
  • Falcon Boats

Would you like to stock wildlife factsheets at your business?

Contact Pembrokeshire Marine Code for details. All proceeds from sales go to the protection of marine wildlife.

Did you know?

'Elegug' is the Welsh for 'Guillemot'

Elegug is the Welsh for guillemot, and two colonies of these birds occupy two limestone stacks on the south coast of Pembrokeshire, the largest just 40 metres from the mainland cliff. The birds arrive in early Spring and have raised their chicks by mid-July. The summits of the stacks are crammed with guillemots with razorbills occupying the narrow ledges below. Other species of interest include razorbill, kittiwake, fulmar petrel, chough and peregrine falcon.

Blue whales and a great white have been spotted...

…as well as hundreds of common and bottle nose dolphins. Sightings off Pembrokeshire’s coastline include minke Whale, sei whale, fin whale, dolphin, orca, rissos dolphin and basking shark. A blue whale has been reported, so too has a great white!

Skomer & Skokholm

Skomer and Skokholm, two islands which are world famous wildlife destinations thanks to their colonies of sea birds – puffins, guillemots, razorbills and Manx shearwaters.

Grassholm Gannets

Grassholm, a unique island home to one of the UK’s gannet colonies. Sadly, hit by bird flu in 2022, the gannet population has crashed by over 50%.

Yawning Puffins

A puffin out to cause trouble with the opposition will yawn at the opponent as a warning.

Atlantic grey seals like the cold

The Atlantic grey seal has over 6cm thick blubber and a double fur coat to help cope with the cold. They are also deep divers and have been recorded at depths of 70m, but usually they feed in shallow coastal waters.

Minke whales are loud!

Minke whales make very loud sounds, up to 152 decibels, as loud as a jet taking off! They make a series of grunts, thuds, and raspy sounds, which possibly are used in communication with other minke whales and in echolocation of food.

The fastest bird...

The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest moving bird in the world, reaching speeds of around 180kph(112mph) when diving after its prey.