Editing Inner Hebrides (section)

==Wildlife==
[[File:Atlantic Puffin.jpg|thumb|Adult [[Atlantic puffin]] (''Fratercula arctica'') in breeding plumage on [[Lunga (Treshnish Isles)|Lunga]] in the [[Treshnish Isles]].]]
In some respects the Hebrides generally lack biodiversity in comparison to mainland Britain, with for example only half the number of mammalian species the latter has.<ref>Murray (1973) p. 72</ref> However, these islands have much to offer the naturalist. Observing the local abundance found on Skye in the 18th century [[Samuel Johnson]] noted that:

{{quote|At the tables where a stranger is received, neither plenty nor delicacy is wanting. A tract of land so thinly inhabited, must have much wild-fowl; and I scarcely remember to have seen a dinner without them. The moor-game is every where to be had. That the sea abounds with fish, needs not be told, for it supplies a great part of Europe. The Isle of Sky has stags and roebucks, but no hares. They sell very numerous droves of oxen yearly to England, and therefore cannot be supposed to want beef at home. Sheep and goats are in great numbers, and they have the common domestic fowls."|<ref name = Johnson>Johnson (1775) pp. 78-79</ref>}}

In the modern era avian life includes the [[Corn crake|corncrake]], [[red-throated diver]], [[rock dove]], [[Black-legged kittiwake|kittiwake]], [[Black guillemot|tystie]], [[Atlantic puffin]], [[Common goldeneye|goldeneye]], [[golden eagle]] and [[White-tailed eagle|white-tailed sea eagle]].<ref>[[#FFD69|Fraser Darling (1969)]] p. 79</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080513173348/http://www.duntulmcastle.co.uk/skye_wildlife.php "Trotternish Wildlife"] Duntulm Castle. Retrieved 25 October 2009.</ref> The last named was re-introduced to Rùm in 1975 and has successfully spread to various neighbouring islands, including Mull.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news | last = Watson | first = Jeremy | date = 12 October 2006 | title = Sea eagle spreads its wings... | location = Edinburgh | newspaper = Scotland on Sunday}}</ref> There is a small population of [[red-billed chough]] concentrated on the islands of [[Islay]] and [[Colonsay]].<ref>Benvie (2004) p. 118.</ref>

[[Mountain hare]] (apparently absent from Skye in the 18th century) and [[European rabbit|rabbit]] are now abundant and predated on by [[Scottish wildcat]] <!-- still in this 21st century?? --> and [[pine marten]].<ref>[[#FFD69|Fraser Darling (1969)]] pp. 71-72</ref> [[Red deer]] are common on the hills and the [[grey seal]] and [[common seal]] are present around the coasts of Scotland in internationally important numbers, with colonies of the former found on [[Oronsay, Inner Hebrides|Oronsay]] and the Treshnish Isles and the latter most abundant in the [[Firth of Lorn]].<ref>[http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-species/which-and-how/mammals/seal-protection/ "Protected mammals - Seals"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920135905/http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-species/which-and-how/mammals/seal-protection/ |date=20 September 2017 }}. Scottish Natural Heritage. Retrieved 6 March 2011.</ref><ref>Murray (1973) pp. 96-98</ref> The rich fresh water streams contain [[brown trout]], [[Atlantic salmon]] and [[Eurasian water shrew|water shrew]].<ref>[[#FFD69|Fraser Darling (1969)]] p. 286</ref><ref>[http://www.trout-salmon-fishing.com/scotland-skye.htm "Trout Fishing in Scotland: Skye"] trout-salmon-fishing.com. Retrieved 29 March 2008.</ref> Offshore [[minke whale]]s, [[killer whale]]s, [[basking shark]]s, [[porpoise]]s and [[dolphin]]s are among the sea life that can be seen<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/strategy/trends/SNH_Trends_sea.pdf | title = Trends – The Sea | publisher = Scottish Natural Heritage | access-date = 1 January 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120225051340/http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/strategy/trends/SNH_Trends_sea.pdf | archive-date = 25 February 2012 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.whalewatchingtrips.co.uk/species.htm "Species List"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180602015619/http://www.whalewatchingtrips.co.uk/species.htm |date=2 June 2018 }}. [http://www.whalewatchingtrips.co.uk Whale Watching Trips Isle of Mull] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202024749/http://www.whalewatchingtrips.co.uk/ |date=2 December 2017 }}. Retrieved 28 December 2010.</ref> and [[Cancer pagurus|edible crab]] and [[Ostreidae|oyster]] are also found, in for example, the Sound of [[Scalpay, Inner Hebrides|Scalpay]].<ref>[[#FFD69|Fraser Darling (1969)]] p. 84</ref> There are nationally important [[Mussel|horse mussel]] and [[Brittle star|brittlestar]] beds in the sea lochs.<ref name=SLBG>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050320224957/http://www.highlandbiodiversity.com/htm/counties/skye_lochalsh/skye_lochalsh.pdf ''Skye & Lochalsh Biodiversity Action Plan''] (2003) (pdf) Skye and Lochalsh Biodiversity Group. Retrieved 29 March 2008.</ref>

Heather moor containing [[Calluna|ling]], [[Erica cinerea|bell heather]], [[Erica tetralix|cross-leaved heath]], [[Myrica gale|bog myrtle]] and [[fescue]]s is abundant and there is a diversity of arctic and alpine plants including [[Sagina|alpine pearlwort]] and [[Minuartia|mossy cyphal]].<ref>Slack, Alf "Flora" in [[#Slesser70|Slesser (1970)]] pp 45-58</ref>