Editing Outer Hebrides (section)

=== Flora and fauna ===
{{Main|Flora and fauna of the Outer Hebrides}}
[[File:Benbecula Ruabhal View.jpg|thumb|left|The open landscapes of [[Benbecula]]]]
[[File:Baghmor.jpg|thumb|{{lang|gd|Bàgh Mòr}}, [[Grimsay]]]]
Much of the archipelago is a protected habitat, including both the islands and the surrounding waters. There are 53 [[Sites of Special Scientific Interest]] of which the largest are Loch an Duin, North Uist ({{convert |151|sqkm|acre}}) and North Harris ({{convert |127|sqkm|acre}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/cxdir/strategiespolicies/witps/appendix1.asp |title=Western Isles Transitional Programme Strategy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629195106/http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/cxdir/strategiespolicies/witps/appendix1.asp |archive-date=29 June 2011 |website=Comhairle nan Eilean Siar |access-date=19 May 2010}}</ref><ref>Rotary Club (1995) p. 10</ref> [[South Uist]] is considered the best place in the UK for the aquatic plant [[Najas flexilis|Slender Naiad]], which is a [[European Protected Species]].<ref>[http://www.jncc.gov.uk/protectedsites/SACselection/species.asp?FeatureIntCode=S1833 "Higher plant species: 1833 Slender naiad"] JNCC. Retrieved 29 July 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1994/Uksi_19942716_en_10.htm "Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 2716 "] Office of Public Sector Information.  Retrieved 5 July 2010.</ref>

There has been considerable controversy over [[European hedgehog|hedgehog]]s on the Uists. Hedgehogs are not native to the islands but were introduced in the 1970s to reduce garden pests. Their spread posed a threat to the eggs of ground-nesting wading birds. In 2003 Scottish Natural Heritage undertook culls of hedgehogs in the area, but these were halted in 2007; trapped animals are now relocated to the mainland.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehedgehog.co.uk/campaign.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020808001943/http://www.thehedgehog.co.uk/campaign.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 August 2002 |title=Campaign to stop the slaughter of over 5000 Hedgehogs on the Island of Uist |publisher=Epping Forest Hedgehog Rescue |access-date=1 January 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Ross | first = John | date = 21 February 2007 | title = Hedgehogs saved from the syringe as controversial Uist cull called off | location = Edinburgh | work=[[The Scotsman]]}}</ref>

Nationally important populations of breeding waders are present in the Outer Hebrides, including [[common redshank]], [[dunlin]], [[Northern lapwing|lapwing]] and [[ringed plover]]. The islands also provide a habitat for other important species such as [[Corn crake|corncrake]], [[hen harrier]], [[golden eagle]] and [[European otter|otter]]. Offshore, [[basking shark]] and various species of whale and dolphin can often be seen,<ref>[http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/biodiversity/planningprocess.asp#biodiversity "Western Isles Biodiversity: Biodiversity Audit - Main report"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029050723/http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/biodiversity/planningprocess.asp#biodiversity |date=29 October 2009 }} Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. Retrieved 5 July 2010.</ref> and the remoter islands' seabird populations are of international significance. [[St Kilda, Scotland|St Kilda]] has 60,000&nbsp;[[northern gannet]]s, amounting to 24% of the world population; 49,000&nbsp;breeding pairs of [[Leach's storm-petrel|Leach's petrel]], up to 90% of the European population; and 136,000&nbsp;pairs of [[Atlantic puffin|puffin]] and 67,000&nbsp;[[northern fulmar]] pairs, about 30% and 13% of the respective UK totals.<ref>Benvie (2004) pp. 116, 121, 132&ndash;34</ref> [[Mingulay]] is an important breeding ground for [[razorbill]]s, with 9,514&nbsp;pairs, 6.3% of the European population.<ref name=NTSbirds>{{cite web |url=http://www.nts-seabirds.org.uk/properties/mingulay/mingulay_breeding.aspx/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060622052146/http://nts-seabirds.org.uk/properties/mingulay/mingulay_breeding.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 June 2006 |title=Mingulay birds |publisher=National Trust for Scotland |access-date=16 February 2007 }}</ref>

The [[bumblebee]] [[Bombus jonellus|''Bombus jonellus'' var. ''hebridensis'']] is [[endemism|endemic]] to the Hebrides and there are local variants of the [[dark green fritillary]] and [[green-veined white]] butterflies.<ref>Thompson (1968) p. 21</ref>  The [[St Kilda wren]] is a subspecies of [[Eurasian wren|wren]] whose range is confined to the islands whose name it bears.<ref>Maclean (1972) p. 21</ref>