Wales boasts an impressive diversity of species, many of them unique. As well as common species such as the buzzard, Wales is home to rarer species such as the marsh fritillary butterfly, the fen orchid and the great crested newt.
In Wales, the Section 42 list of habitats and species of principal importance in Wales is the definite list and its a key requirement of the NERC Biodiversity Duty. The list is the definitive reference for all statutory and non-statutory bodies involved in operations that affect biodiversity in Wales.
Section 42 Species of principal importance to Wales. S42 species on the Welsh list which do not appear on the UK list Section 42 Species online identification guide Draft species actions for selected S42 species
Section 42 Habitats of principal importance to Wales Section 42 combined Species and Habitats list
To protect rarer species in the UK, a list has been drawn up at the UK level of species requiring special protection totalling 1150 species and 504 of these species occur in Wales. A further 33 species together with two groupings of lichens and one grouping of plants go to produce a list of 540 species of principal importance in Wales. This is referred to as the Section 42 list.
The Section 42 Species of principal importance to Wales is now available with clickable links to online identification guides. With the range of online guides now available, the species expert group (SEG) decided rather than spending more money on work that had already been done elsewhere, we should draw as many of the available links together as possible. There are still some species for which ID information is not easily available and SEG will look into the need for ID sheets to be developed for these species. Other sites may also be available, so please inform us using “contact us” if any links have been missed and we will update the document.
Section 42 Species online identification guide
Lichen information including S42 species
Links
UK BAP Species list 2007
UK BAP Priority Habitats & Species
UK BAP Website
Re-introduction of sand lizards in North Wales began in 1995. The sand lizard is the rarest of the two types of native lizards found in Wales, and became extinct from the dunes of north and west Wales in the 1960’s. In 2009, sand lizards where released in the dunes at Ynyslas, which is part of the Dyfi National Nature Reserve. The re-introduction programme is a partnership project between the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, the Countryside Council for Wales and Natural England.
Sand Lizard re-introduction
Sand Lizard Identification