Wildlife Introduction
The wildlife of the fens has changed dramatically over time.
Past wildlife
We know a little about the wildlife that inhabited the area before the fens were formed and rather more about the period when a vast wetland existed. Learn more about the animals that once roamed the land of the Great Fen in Past Wildlife.
Present wildlife
When the wild fens disappeared and farmland was created instead, much of the fen wildlife was lost too. However, many rare and remarkable species survived in fen fragments, particularly Woodwalton Fen and Holme Fen National Nature Reserves, both now part of the Great Fen area. As the farmland is restored, more wildlife is also returning there.
Read about the stunning fen wildlife you can see today in Present Wildlife.
Future Wildlife
As the Great Fen restoration continues, creating a much larger area for wildlife, there will be more space for existing wildlife and we may also see the return of lost species. See Future Wildlife.
Sightings
Recent wildlife sightings from across the Great Fen are published on the Sightings page.
Fen habitats, now and in the future
With a mixture of wet and dry meadows, reedbeds, woodland, bog, heath and open water, a mosaic of habitats are being created across a huge area. On the Fen Habitats page the diiferent types of habitat are explained. together with the range of wildlife that will benefit from each one.
