Wonderful wildlife

The River Eden is home to nationally and internationally important species. With some of the highest diversity of aquatic plants and animals in England, it supports salmon spawning areas, wild Atlantic salmon, Sea lamprey, Brook lamprey, River lamprey, White-clawed crayfish, Bullhead and Common otter, and is an important fishery.

Six internationally important wildlife sites and 31 SSSI (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) lie partly or wholly within the Eden Valley, including the River Eden SAC (Special Area of Conservation) and the Cumbrian Marsh Fritillary SAC. Important populations of Marsh fritillary butterfly, Whooper swan, wading birds, Black grouse, Red squirrel, Otter and remnant stands of the native Black poplar can be found here.

Find out more about some of our iconic and well-loved wildlife that call the Eden catchment home: