Priority Species Work
Habitat and landscape scale actions are likely to bring benefits for many of the species in the Park. However, some species are in need of urgent conservation action and have very specific management needs
There are a number of key species where vital conservation work is being delivered to ensure they thrive within the Cairngorms. This work, by a range of organisations, land managers, various groups and individuals, is vital to the areas continued importance for biodiversity.
Approximately 1200 species in the National Park are considered to be important for nature conservation, many of them are rare and endangered and some would go extinct in Scotland if the populations in the National Park were to disappear.
Looking to the future, we are also assessing the potential for the restoration of vertebrate species in the Cairngorms National Park. A report compiled by the Cairngorms Nature Team explores the positive and negative aspects of species restoration. This report recommends investigating the potential for the return of Eurasian Beavers and Common Cranes to the Park.
Below is what we currently list as our priority species in the Cairngorms National Park.
Mammals
Birds
- Capercaillie
- Curlew
- Raptors
Invertebrates
- Kentish glory
- Dark bordered beauty
- Pine hoverfly
- Northern silver stiletto fly
- Scabious Mining bee
- Shining guest ant
- Northern February red stonefly
- Northern damselfly
- Wood ants
- Pinewood mason bee
- Aspen hoverfly
- Freshwater pearl mussel
Plants/trees
- Aspen
- Twinflower
- One-flowered wintergreen
- Marsh saxifrage
- Waxcaps
- Alpine blue sow thistle
- Oblong woodsia
- Small cow wheat
- Woolly willow
- Alectoria ochroleuca
- Hertelidea botryosa
