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Packham: Scots wildlife best

20/01/2010

The “sexiest” wildlife in the world is to be found right here on our doorstep
Leading wildlife expert Chris Packham has slammed people who jet off to the Serengeti on safari, saying that some of the “sexiest” wildlife in the world is to be found right here on our doorstep.

“Scotland’s such a great environment to be in,” he told The Big Issue. “It’s picturesque, so just being in it is fantastic. It has this great collection of species. Some of the species, back in the 1500s, were to be found in the south of England but for a long time they've retreated to Scotland and become an intrinsic part of the Scottish countryside.

“Wildcats, mountain hares, capercaillie, golden eagle – these are some of our sexiest animals.”

The punk-loving eco pin-up added: “I get annoyed when people say they're off to safari in the Serengeti. I’ve had some of my best whale watching and dolphin watching in Scotland for no pence.

“In the summer in Mull you can go out and see dolphins, porpoises, whales. Or if you go to the Moray Firth on the Black Isle you can stand on the beach and be splashed by the dolphins, they get so close! Scotland’s given me some of the richest wildlife encounters of my whole life and I’ve been all over the world.”
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