Blanket bogs form in mountain areas and follow the contours of the hills. Raised bogs grow as large domes, mainly in the midlands. Both are a patchwork of raised drier hummocks and wetter pools and boggy patches.

Typical bog plants include mosses, especially Sphagnum, and heathers, bilberry, crowberry, sedges and cotton grass, and distinctive lichens.

There are various woodland habitats present in Ireland such as Deciduous Woodland, which can contain excellent examples of native species such as ash, hazel, pine and oak.

These woodlands often contain other native tree species also; wych elm, spindle, downy birch, holly, willow, crab apple, rowan, yew and aspen.

Lakes and ponds are enclosed bodies of freshwater, varying in size from small pools out on the open bog to large lakes which have formed high in the hollows of mountain corries. Corries are hollows found on mountainsides which were carved out by the action of glaciers during the last ice age. The plants and wildlife in lakes and ponds vary with the surrounding habitats and geology.

Calcareous grassland is restricted in its distribution and is now largely confined to the steep slopes of esker ridges and moraines in the midlands. It is found on the terraces of the mountains and between the limestone pavement, as well as on glacial deposits throughout the Burren. These calcareous grasslands host an extraordinary composition of flora, and attract botanists from all over the world to study this unique mixture of plants growing together.

Limestone pavement has become synonymous with the Burren and covers most of the National Park, although usually in a mosaic with other habitats. The pavement may be of either a smooth or shattered type.

The smooth limestone pavement areas consist of clints and grykes. The clints are the slab-like flat surface areas of the pavement and the grykes are the fissured cracks that dissect the clints. The grykes provide shelter for the soil to accumulate and also shelter from the wind.

Wet heaths are botanically similar to blanket bogs. They can occur on varied types of terrain, but are best represented on moderately steep, badly drained moraine slopes, where the peat is rarely much more than one metre deep. Typical species include ling heather, cross-leaved heath, gorse and bog myrtle, with purple moor-grass, deer-grass, cotton-grass, tormentil, heath rush and some bog moss species.

There are many interesting species of note to see in Ireland’s National Parks such as the beautiful and varied orchids that grow in the Burren. Species such as the early-purple orchid, bee orchid, butterfly orchid and fly orchid, among others. There are also some rare species to be found in Wild Nephin National Park such as marsh saxifrage; a very rare yellow flower which grows in nutrient rich wet flushes; and ivy-leaved bellflower which grows along the riverbanks of the National Park.

Glenveagh National Park is home to a mix of native and non-native trees. The main species are sessile oak, downy birch, rowan, holly, hazel, yew and aspen. Native scots pines are also a key feature having been planted as shelter belts around the lake shore. Up to 2,000 seedlings are to be planted as one of the initial steps in the development of an acorn-to-tree approach to woodland conservation management within the park.

Some of Ireland’s native mammal species include the red deer, red squirrel, red fox and Irish hare. Native breeds include Kerry cow, Galway sheep and Connemara pony.

The red deer herd found in Killarney National Park dates back to Neolithic times and is now the only surviving indigenous herd left in the country. While herds of red deer can be found elsewhere in Ireland, they are from re-introduced stock (mainly from Scotland).

The birdlife that can be spotted in Ireland is plentiful, including bird species of interest; such as the merlin, goosander, whinchat and red grouse. Peregrine falcons are the world’s fastest birds, and are a notable species in Wicklow Mountains National Park. White-tailed sea eagles hadn’t been seen in Ireland since the early 20th century until a reintroduction programme in Killarney National Park, and now there are white-tailed sea eagles in the sky once more.

There are many magnificant species of butterfly present in Ireland such as the protected marsh fritillary. As the name suggests, the marsh fritillary likes wet or marshy ground and relies on the devil’s bit scabious plant for its lifecycle.
The Burren National Park is rich in butterfly species; in fact, the area around Mullaghmore is considered to be the richest butterfly site in Ireland. Twenty-seven of Ireland’s 33 resident and regular migrant butterflies have been recorded here.

Ireland’s only native reptile, the viviparous lizard, is versatile in its habitat and can be found in woodlands, marshes, heaths and bogs. Ranging in length from 10–16 cm, they have long bodies, short legs and a long tapering tail. The smooth newt is also native to Ireland and can be found in woodlands, hedgerows, marshes and areas dominated by tussock grassland. They are the only amphibian found in Ireland that has a tail. Atlantic salmon is native to Ireland and is found in most of our rivers.