Island groups include the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Orkneys and the Shetlands. In the far north there are lichens and mosses found nowhere else in Britain. Red deer are found in large numbers. Wild boars, once nearly extinct, have been reintroduced, while the extremely rare wildcats and wild goats are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Foul-tempered highland cattle were bred to endure the cold climate, and sheep graze grasslands all over the country.
Otters are rare, but introduced minks are spreading like wildfire.
Scotland's famous game birds, the grouse, graze in large numbers on the country's heather, and millions of greylag geese winter on the stubble fields of the lowlands. Varied' describes Scotland's climate perfectly. There are wide variations in climate over small distances, and a sunny day will often as not be followed by a rainy one. The Highlands, however, can have extreme weather at any time. Lonely Planet Publications Pty. Ltd. All rights reserved.