Saving our Seabirds from Invasive Predators
The Biosecurity for LIFE project is working to prevent invasive mammals arriving on predator-free islands. Find out the six simple steps you can take when visiting any of CalMac's protected islands.
Saving our Seabirds from Invasive Predators
In the summer months, islands off the west coast of Scotland are home to many spectacular and internationally important seabird colonies.
Protected islands like the Treshnish Isles, Mingulay and Berneray, the Shiant Isles, Canna, and St Kilda are just a boat trip away. During this time, these islands are peppered with Atlantic puffins, and the skies are full of birds wheeling their way back to their nests. Less visible are the tens of thousands of nocturnal European storm-petrels: the UK's smallest seabird.
By nesting on islands, seabirds evolved away from the threat of ground-based predators. Instead they are adept at evading capture from above: puffins burrow underground away from hungry gulls, and fulmars regurgitate stomach oil that mats the feathers of other birds. But none of their defences are enough to stop invasive predators like rats or American mink from devastating seabird populations by eating their eggs and chicks.
The Biosecurity for LIFE project is working to prevent invasive mammals arriving on predator-free islands. The idea of rats arriving on a remote island may seem unlikely, but since 2016 there have been 32 biosecurity incidents on UK seabird islands - and if one pregnant female rat arrives on an island, there could be 300 rats within just eight months...
Everyone can play their part to help keep our islands predator-free. Here are six simple steps you can take when visiting any island:
1. Check your baggage for signs of stowaways before boarding the boat
2. Store food in rodent proof containers
3. Take your rubbish home
4. NEVER push a stowaway overboard - a rat can swim at least 2km!
5. If you find an invasive non-native predator on your boat, do not land on an offshore island
6. If you think you've seen signs of an invasive non-native predator on a seabird island, report it
Seabird island biosecurity animation (English subtitles) - Biosecurity for LIFE from Biosecurity for LIFE on Vimeo.
You can find more ways to get involved on our website www.biosecurityforlife.org.uk, including awareness raising materials, activity packs, and boat user information packs. Join us on Twitter @BiosecurityLIFE as we return to the islands this summer and help us spread the word about island biosecurity.