page_title: List of endemic species of the British Isles
section_title: Mammals
hierarchical_section_title: List of endemic species of the British Isles / Mammals
caption_attribution_description: Felis silvestris silvestris (Schreber, 1775) العربية: قط بري أوروبي (Felis silvestris silvestris)، قرب شبرينغه، ألمانيا. Deutsch: Europäische Wildkatze im Wisentgehege Springe bei Springe in der Region Hannover, Deutschland English: European Wildcat in the Wisentgehege Springe game park, near Springe, Hanover, Germany Español: Gato salvaje europeo Français&#160;: Chat sauvage d'Europe Italiano: Un esemplare di gatto selvatico europeo (Felis silvestris silvestris) fotografato nel Wisentgehege Springe, un parco faunistico nel comune di Springe (Germania). Nederlands: Europese wilde kat Norsk bokmål: Europeisk villkatt i Wisentgehege Springe ved Springe i Delstaten Hannover i Tyskland Polski: Żbik europejski Русский: Среднеевропейский лесной кот
context_page_description: The British Isles have few endemic species due to past frequent glaciations and because of the proximity to Continental Europe and former land bridges which enabled species to re-colonise the islands from the continent following glaciations. Most endemic species to the British Isles are considered to be subspecies of a larger species, with mutations or adaptations slightly changing the species in the islands or in certain localities.
  British Conservationists often describe this as a “wiped clean effect” with repeated glaciations forcing many species out of the modern area of the islands to more southern latitudes in Europe and perhaps even driving some species extinct.
  Some species which were present in Britain before past glaciations, often during periods with a warmer climate than now failed to return after the Last Glacial Maximum. Amongst these are Rhododendron ponticum and rabbits, now considered invasive and non-native.
  A species is only deemed native if it reached the British Isles without human intervention. That means that to be native the species must have reached Britain before the land bridge joining Britain to the continent was submerged.
context_section_description: Britain has a few subspecies of mammals but no endemic species. Many again are Ice Age survivors that adapted to the new conditions; others arrived in warmer conditions whilst the land bridge still existed.
  Irish hare or the Irish subspecies of the mountain hare – Mountain hares are also found in other locations of the British Isles, but in Ireland have the distinction of not turning white in winter.
  Scottish red deer
  Scottish wildcat – Formerly also found in Northern England and Wales, this subspecies of the European wildcat is now restricted to a few locations in Scotland largely due to hunting and hybridisation with domestic cats.
  St Kilda field mouse – St Kilda Islands only. A subspecies of the wood mouse.
  Orkney vole – Orkney only. A subspecies of the common vole.
  Skomer vole - Skomer Island only. A subspecies of the bank vole.
  Canna mouse - Canna, Scotland only. A subspecies of the house mouse.
caption: A wildcat
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