English seabird populations are in decline. Breeding populations have declined by at least 20-30% since the early 1990s and without intervention these internationally important seabird populations will continue to decline. The same can be said across the UK: the latest figures from the Seabirds Count (2015-2021) shows almost 62% of seabird species in decline across the UK […]
From Ireland’s Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD has announced another significant addition to Ireland’s Natura 2000 network. The new Seas off Wexford Special Protection Area (SPA), which is to be designated under the EU Birds Directive, will cover more than 305,000 […]
The Wildlife Trusts’ annual round-up of life in UK seas presents the highs and lows for 2023, including bait ball feeding frenzies and increased sightings of Atlantic bluefin tuna alongside the devastating impact of avian flu on seabirds. Dr Lissa Batey, head of marine conservation at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “2023 has been a historic […]
Seabirds roam far and wide in the Indian Ocean – so they need ocean-wide protection, new research shows. All other oceans are known to contain “hotspots” where predators including seabirds feast on prey. (Photo Antoine Boissonot) But the new study – by a team including Exeter, Heriot-Watt and Réunion universities, and ZSL – found no […]
A new census covering over 10,000 sites reveals 11 of 25 seabird species that breed in Britain, Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Isles have declined over the past 20 years. Britain and Ireland hold most of the world’s nesting Manx shearwaters, northern gannets and great skuas. The islands are also a vital stronghold for other […]
As part of a major research consortium announced last June, the UK’s top scientists have discovered that some seabirds are demonstrating immunity to avian influenza. The eight-strong FluMap consortium, headed by the world-leading research team at the Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA), has developed laboratory tools that can dissect the immune response in birds that […]
Over 40,000 rare seabirds now call Lundy home, the highest number since the 1930s. Over 80% of the global population of Manx Shearwaters breed on UK islands yet there were only 297 pairs on Lundy in 2001. Puffins were near to extinction on the island and urgent action was needed to make the habitat safer […]
Over the past few decades, Skomer Island off the south coast of Wales has witnessed a remarkable resurgence in its guillemot population. Before 1930, Skomer was home to over 100,000 common guillemots. But by the end of the second world war, this number had plummeted by about 95% and continued to decline for the next […]