'Wild Mayo is a gem of a book, brillant and beautifully written and one which I constantly consult for reference' - Paul Durcan Poet

'A wonderful read, penned by someone who has both an intimate knowledge and great empathy for Mayo and its Wild Places. A terrific overview of this corner of Ireland for both visitors and residents alike. A book that deserves a place in every home in the county'  - Colin Stafford Johnson, Wildlife Cinematographer

Out at the windswept, oceanic edge of Europe, Co. Mayo offers an experience of nature still rare in a crowded world. In a landscape boldly coloured by climate and dramatically worn by the Ice Age, a remarkable variety of habitats weaves from mountain summits, through rolling peatland to a pristine shore, across a terrain rippling with lakes and rivers.

Human settlement and activity sits lightly on Mayo's ancient contours, so that much of wildlife is still free to follow paths and patterns shaped over thousands of years. Otters hunt fish in an abundance quite lost to most of Europe. Artic waterfowl and wading birds migrate to Mayo wetlands unchanged in human history. The inner sweeps of peatland and sculptured shores of limestone lakes hold plants both rare and beautiful.

A changing climate has brought home the value of nature's precious variety. In Wild Mayo, Michael Viney celebrates the county's fascinating flora and fauna in which the smallest of living things have their place.