When we think of British wildlife, we often picture foxes, hedgehogs, and garden birds – but the UK is also home to some impressively large and powerful animals.
Whether roaming forests, burrowing in the countryside, or gliding through coastal waters, these creatures are not only big in size but also in ecological importance. Here, we explore some of the largest wild animals you can find in the UK – and where you might spot them.
Largest wild animals
Red deer
The largest wild mammals in the UK are members of the deer family, with red deer being the largest native British deer species. Stags weigh between 90 and 190kg and stand at over a metre tall at the shoulder – with large, branching antlers that give them additional height. You can see these large land mammals during the autumn deer rut (September to November), when stags are at their most active and can be seen battling for dominance in the herd.
Humpback whales
Humpback whales can grow to 18m long, and are sometimes spotted in UK waters – particularly along the South Coast, from Kent and Sussex to Cornwall, as well as in Irish waters. Sightings are rare but not unheard of, and whales are usually spotted in December and January. The pectoral fins of a humpback whale are its defining features, at up to 3.6m long.
Badger
The largest land predator in the UK is the European badger (Meles meles), the biggest land carnivore on our shores. Famed for their black and white stripes, badgers are stocky, with sturdy bodies and strong front paws to dig for food and create their burrows, called ‘setts’.
You’re most likely to spot a badger at dusk or dawn, when they are returning to their sett after a busy night. Badgers have been culled in the UK in an attempt to control the spread of bovine TB, which poses a threat to the beef and dairy industries, but the UK government unveiled plans to vaccinate cattle and badgers in 2020.
Red fox
While certainly not the largest, red foxes are a notably large wild mammals in the UK – and are the most geographically widespread carnivore. They are a common sight in both rural and urban environments.
Grey seals
There are now many grey seals in the UK – in fact, Britain is home to 36 per cent of the world’s population of grey seals. The Norfolk coast is a popular breeding ground, as are several spots in Cornwall and on the Scottish coast. Find out more about the best seal-watching spots in the UK here. They are the largest land-breeding marine mammals in the UK, with males reaching up to 350kg and females up to 250kg.
Basking sharks
Basking sharks are the second biggest fish in the world, surpassed only by whale sharks. One of several shark species found in UK waters, the basking shark measures up to 12m long and can weigh seven tonnes. They visit UK waters between May and October, and can be seen in Cornwall, the Isle of Man and the sea around the Hebrides. They have also been spotted off the coast of west Wales and around the Isles of Scilly. Increasing numbers of sharks have been found in UK waters in recent years, due to our diversity of marine habitats.
Sperm whales
Measuring up to 18m, the sperm whale has the biggest brain of any animal on the planet. While they are rarely seen in UK waters, they are often found beached or washed ashore when they have been fatally injured. In 2019, a sperm whale was washed ashore in the Outer Hebrides with more than 100kg of rubbish in its stomach. It is thought the whale was marooned by a retreating tide, as the waters off the Isle of Harris have a vast tidal range.
