Wildlife along the Basingstoke Canal

Natley Brickworks Arm, Basingstoke Canal. © Graham Clutton - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

The waterway is a haven for wildlife. Greywell Tunnel, which collapsed in 1932, has in the interim become home to the world's largest colony of Natterer's Bat and is unlikely to be reclaimed. Over twenty types of dragonfly have been identified along the canal and the clear waters attract an abundance of flora and fauna. Most of the canal has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The canal is home to a wide range of habitats: heath, woodland, pasture and wetland, each with a unique family of plants and animals.