A Roe Deer, by Iain Hamlin BY ALISTAIR MURDOCH The varied habitats of the Ardeer Peninsula make it a fantastic place for mammals, and some of our largest mammals can be seen quite easily. Foxes and Roe Deer can be spotted right down at the tip of the peninsula near the “Big Idea”. A good viewpoint is at Irvine Harbour where the Rivers Irvine and Garnock meet. Whilst in the area, remember to check the water for seals. The Common Seal can be seen swimming with just its head poking up, and sometimes they “haul out” of the water to rest.
It is difficult to believe that herds of Reindeer once roamed the Irish countryside and were native breeding members of our mammal fauna. That was at the end of the last ice age, of course, some 12,000 years ago.
The Reindeer were accompanied by Arctic Foxes, Norwegian Lemmings, and Giant Irish Deer. As the ice melted and the climate improved they all died out and became extinct and were replaced by newcomers like the Irish Hare, Irish Stoat, Brown Bear, Grey Wolf, and possibly Red Deer. It is believed that the new arrivals colonised Ireland from the ice-free southern part of England.