Many rare, declining or important species are found in Eastleigh Borough, as well as the more familiar plants and animals we see everyday.

Mammals such as hedgehogs, foxes and deer can be found in our gardens and woods, and if you are very lucky and live near a sett, you may catch a glimpse of a badger. The much rarer otter lives along the rivers in the borough, but they are very difficult to spot as they only tend to come out at night. A few of our woods are also home to the dormouse, a tiny mouse which eats nuts and berries and hibernates in its nest through the winter.

Frogs, toads, newts, lizards and snakes also live in our borough and can be seen in our ponds, gardens and open spaces and fish such as salmon, trout and stickleback live in our rivers and streams.

As well as the more obvious animals and plants that share the borough with us, there are also countless numbers of different insects which play a vital role in health of the borough.

Bees, butterflies and wasps pollinate flowers as they feed on their nectar, providing farmers with good crops to harvest.  Many other sorts of insects live in the soil and recycle leaves and other decaying matter ensuring it stays fertile.

Bugs, flies, beetles, ants, moths and dragonflies are also present in an endless variety to name but a few.

Individual species lists may be found on the relevant site pages.