Cheerio Churchill, hello hedgehogs: The British animals Country Life wants to see on our banknotes
As the nation votes on the British wildlife that will appear on the next series of banknotes, our writers argue their case for their favourite animals.
Kemi Badenoch said it was ‘a silly thing to do’, Nigel Farage termed it ‘crackers’ and the RSPCA demanded incredulously to know where the ‘pigeons, rats and gulls’ were, but at least one person was pleased about our new banknotes featuring illustrations of native British wildlife. When asked about Winston Churchill’s face potentially being replaced by a badger, his granddaughter Emma Soames proclaimed ‘lucky badger!’ Well said.
Cash may no longer be king, but who or what appears on the front of our notes has been a topic of hot contention among the British public recently. The change will mark a shakeup from the illustrations of famous faces, such as William Shakespeare and Jane Austen, that have been on our £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes since 1970. The one human to remain will be Charles III — maybe cash really is king, after all.
At Country Life, we think this no bad thing. What better to celebrate than our native wildlife, which adds so much value to our countryside, beaches and even cities. The public have until July 3 to make up their minds so, without further ado, here are the Country Life team’s bids for the creatures they want creeping onto our cash.
Bottlenose dolphin
My friends had posters of boy bands on their walls; I had posters of dolphins. Specifically, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) — which is one of the largest dolphin species, growing up to four metres long. I remember thinking that a dolphin — an animal we, or at least I, typically associate with far-flung places and warm waters — couldn't possibly inhabit the UK because it was oh so exotic. In fact, they thrive in places such as the Moray Firth in Scotland, Cardigan Bay inWales, and off the coasts of Cornwall and Yorkshire.
In adulthood, I've had the privilege of seeing and even diving with bottlenose dolphins and other dolphin species. Like dogs and horses, they possess magical, therapeutic abilities. Sadly, I've never seen one in the UK — despite years of trying. The biggest threats they face in our waters are entanglement in fishing gear, chemical pollution and heavy boat traffic, but surely the beaming smiles they bring to the faces of everyone who come across them makes them worthy of all the good PR they can get.
— Rosie Paterson, Digital Content Director & Travel Editor
Brown hare
Nothing, simply nothing compares to the brown hare (Lepus europaeus). Associated with the moon, springtime and witchcraft — how else could our ancestors explain its magical qualities? — the hare is the big dude of small mammals. It doesn’t need to hide from predators, it’s too cool for that, but blitzes them with a burst of speed that nothing else can match while throwing in moves that Houdini could only dream of. Blessed with runway looks and more mythology than Merlin, the hare is freedom. It’s the true spirit of the land.
— Mark Hedges, Editor in Chief
European hedgehog
What’s more British than a European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)? Spiky and standoffish on the outside, but completely charming once you get past its prickly exterior. Not only are they cute (a good enough reason on its own to appear on our money, in my opinion) but they also handily gobble up a whole load of gardeners’ pests, such as beetles, caterpillars and slugs, to boot. Sadly, the European Hedgehog is now Red Listed in Great Britain, meaning it's at risk of local extinction. So, let's not only get this brilliant creature on our banknotes, but back in our gardens too. My personal choice of model for our future cash would be my favourite hedgehog of all time, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle.
— Lotte Brundle, Digital Writer
Grey seal
Long before I knew there were seal species native to Britain, or understood quite how important grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) are to our marine ecosystems, I simply thought they were the most adorable creatures I'd ever laid eyes on. So much so, in fact, that I once pinched a small seal toy from the Natural History Museum on a Year 1 school trip — a letter of apology swiftly followed, of course, but nothing was going to come between me and that seal. Britain is home to around 40% of the world's grey seals, making us internationally important custodians of the species. Highly intelligent and curious, they have been observed learning from one another and displaying distinct personalities. I'd support a return to cash if it meant being greeted by those whiskered faces every time I opened my purse.
— Florence Allen, Social Media Editor
Atlantic puffin
It was on the Isle of Lunga that the first puffin shot past my ear, with a beak full of sand eels, its wings fizzing like a badly hit golf ball. There were thousands of them, marching in and out of their nests, staring out to sea, flying back and forth endlessly. They are so small, yet so richly coloured and expressive, you could be forgiven for thinking you could sit down and chat to one.
I had wanted to see a puffin for years. The flora and fauna of the UK is rich and varied, but you could not call it colourful — apart from Fratercula arctica. These essential and fearless seabirds are as close as we get to exotic, and for want of a better word, they are absolutely adorable. They are, as all good things tend to be these days, at risk, as their habitats and food sources strain under the pressure of a changing climate and overfishing. What better way to remind ourselves of their plight and their brilliance than by putting them on the very thing that is likely leading to their doom: money.
— James Fisher, Digital Commissioning Editor
Barn owl
Barn owls (Tyto alba) are the supermodels of the strigine world. Their long legs, white undersides and beige plumage — unchanging throughout the year — mean they are the envy of other owls; and, indeed, of birds more generally. They swoop and glide with a heart-shaped face that could melt even the coldest of souls while being one of the only nocturnal creatures shortlisted for our bank notes. Since nightlife accounts for £112 billion of the economy (more than sport), I think we ought to show some respect. The barn owl can be the disc jockey's representative on polymer.
— Will Hosie, Lifestyle Editor
Basking shark
Hedgehogs? Baby seals? Please, we're not selling schmaltzy postcards here: this is an opportunity to do something different with our banknotes. Something surprising. Something, well, cool. And as everyone knows, sharks are nothing if not cool.
They're also — rather surprisingly — British. The waters off our island are home to dozens of different types of shark, all of which have incredible tales to tell, from the mako shark, which can swim at 45mph, to the Greenland shark, which can live to be 400 years old. So, rather than taking the obvious Beatrix Potter-inspired route of fluffy and cute, let's go with a creature that is less-celebrated, but just as wonderful.
The basking shark (cetorhinus maximus) is the second largest fish in the ocean, a plankton-eating gentle giant, and a British success story: the marine-protected area created for them off Orkney has helped stabilise a creature that had been hunted almost to extinction.
— Toby Keel, Digital Director
Buff-tailed bumblebee
The lazy, baritone buzz of a bumblebee is the merry little voice of an English summer garden. The buff-tailed variety (Bombus terrestris) is a commendable early riser — among the very first bumblebees to emerge from hibernation (sometimes as early as February). He’s an unassuming, portly little gentleman, going about his important business of being a super pollinator without fuss (buff-tails are famously docile and mild-mannered). He’s also the UK’s largest bumblebee. Most importantly, he’s a cheerful little fellow, exceptionally tough in cold weather, and highly adaptable, happy to nest in a variety of unusual locations, from rodent burrows to compost heaps. As William Blake noted, ‘the busy bee has no time for sorrow’.
— Agnes Stamp, Associate Features Editor
The pine marten, red fox, common kingfisher, Eurasian curlew, great spotted woodpecker, white-tailed eagle, Atlantic salmon, common frog, emperor dragonfly and marsh fritillary butterfly are also contenders. To have your say on which native animal should appear on our banknotes cast your vote here before 11.59pm on July 3, 2026.
