In the long midsummer days, Foula's wildflowers provide a glorious burst of colour. Sea pinks carpet the areas of short maritime grass, and the blue vernal squill and golden eyed tormentil make bright sweet scented patches beyond.

Marsh marigolds and wild orchids blossom into magnificent gold and purple in drains and wet lush areas, with white tufted bog cotton, spagnum moss, sundew and crowberry making patterns across the moorland. A thriving area of greater tussock sedge can be found in the Nort Toons, which along with the abundant woodrush in the hills, is a remnant of plants associated with ancient woodlands.

BIRDS AND ANIMALS

Foula has great variety and numbers of sea and moorland birds, with many accessible habitats all over the island during the summer. The world's largest colony of bonxies (great skua) competes fiercely with Arctic skuas for breeding territories, and kittiwakes and Arctic terns return annually to take up nesting sites.

Every suitable small loch in the island is occupied by a pair of nesting redthroated divers, and the cliffs teem with puffins, guillemots, razorbills, shags, fulmars and gannets. Leach's petrel, storm petrel, and Manx shearwater have also been found, and many shore and moorland birds including the dainty ringed plover nest in the stoney places and amongst the bog grasses.

During migration periods many unusual birds can be seen. Foula is home to a unique sub species of field mouse, an island variety of house mouse, rabbits, and hedgehogs. Both Atlantic grey and common seals haul up around the shore, and can be watched at close quarters in the Voe. Schools of killer whales have been seen close inshore and porpoises often follow the ferry.

Most of the sheep in Foula are the hardy original Shetland breed. Their great variety of coloured fleeces are much in demand by hand spinners, ranging from the predominating moorit (brown) to fawn, grey, creamy white and black, and many have attractive markings.