Help us celebrate the UK’s wildlife | Bank of England
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Help us celebrate the UK’s wildlife
Tell us which animals you would like to see on our next series of banknotes by 3 July 2026
Related links
Related links
Banknote design challenge for families and schools
Consultation paper: Help us celebrate the UK’s wildlife
Overview
We are designing the next series of banknotes, which will include updated security features to ensure you can continue to use cash with confidence – and we’d like your help.
After a public consultation last year, we announced in March 2026 that we will use nature, with a particular focus on wildlife, as the theme for our next series of banknote designs.
Working with a panel of wildlife experts from across the UK, we have produced a shortlist of animals, native to the UK, that could be used as the central image on the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes.
We are keen to hear your views, which will be an important consideration in making our final decision on the design.
We have grouped the list into three categories, which cover a variety of species and environments.
Pick your favourites by 3 July 2026
From 3 June to 3 July, we are consulting the public on which animals to use as the central image on each of the four denominations of our next series of banknotes.
Share your views
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The shortlist
Mammals
Birds
Amphibians, insects & fish
bottlenose dolphin
brown hare
European hedgehog
grey seal
pine marten
red fox
Atlantic puffin
barn owl
common kingfisher
Eurasian curlew
great spotted woodpecker
white-tailed eagle
Atlantic salmon
basking shark
buff-tailed bumblebee
common frog
emperor dragonfly
marsh fritillary butterfly
Only the animals on the shortlist can feature as the main images on the new series. We are not seeking any alternative nominations.
You can choose up to two animals from each category before 11.59pm BST on Friday 3 July 2026.
Nominate your favourite animals
Expert panel
Katy Bell – Ulster Wildlife
Katy Bell is Senior Conservation Officer at Ulster Wildlife, managing species conservation projects across Northern Ireland. Katy holds a BSc Hons in Zoology from the University of Edinburgh and a Masters in Ecology and Conservation Biology from Queen's University Belfast. Katy has worked in various research, ecology and conservation roles for universities and environmental NGOs.
Gordon Buchanan MBE – wildlife filmmaker
Gordon Buchanan is a renowned wildlife filmmaker and Sunday Times best-selling author who has worked on numerous BBC documentaries, including the popular The Family and Me series. With a career dedicated to capturing intimate wildlife stories, he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to conservation and wildlife filmmaking.
Miranda Krestovnikoff – wildlife presenter
Miranda Krestovnikoff is a television and radio presenter and author specialising in natural history and environmental programming, including on BBC’s The One Show and Coast. She is vice president of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and a patron of numerous other wildlife organisations in the UK.
Steve Ormerod – Cardiff University
Steve Ormerod is a professor in the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University, specialising in freshwater ecology. Steve holds a PhD in river ecology from Cardiff and is also deputy chairman of Natural Resources Wales and a member of the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
Nadeem Perera – wildlife presenter
Nadeem Perera is a television presenter, author and cultural strategist working at the intersection of nature and identity. He is the founder of Hero Hyena, a culture led creative studio exploring wildlife through contemporary storytelling. Nadeem has appeared on a number of wildlife programmes including BBC Two’s Springwatch and CBBC’s One Zoo Three, and co founded Flock Together, a birdwatching collective encouraging greater participation in nature among underrepresented communities.
Dawn Scott – Nottingham Trent University
Dawn Scott is Executive Dean of the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences at Nottingham Trent University. Dawn is a Professor of Mammal Ecology and Conservation. She holds a PhD from the University of Durham and has served as trustee for a Wildlife Trust as well as a council...