City of Britain’s important wildlife habitats, the Farne Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Northumberland in England. In 1951, they became one of the first designated sites of special scientific interest. And 42 years later, they were declared a national Nature reserve. A seabird and seal sanctuary, these islands have been preserved by the National Trust, a conservation organization. The Trust, which has been managing the islands for over 90 years now, constantly strives to find a sensitive balance between respecting the boundaries of nesting avian parents and welcoming curious yet discerning tourists whose arrival keeps the Trust going.
Wildlife
Several thousand seabirds such as puffins, Arctic terns, guillemots, razorbills, and shags visit the Farne Islands for the breeding season every year and make it their home. Over different times of the year, several other species of birds can be found here. They include ducks, geese, fulmars, terns, gulls, godwits, sandpipers, cormorants, skuas, falcons, warblers, flycatchers, buntings, and finches. The Farne Islands are also home to thousands of grey seals, and each year the place witnesses the arrival of hundreds of pups.
Did you know?
- Every year, thousands of puffins congregate at the Farne Islands. Though often known as a sea parrot, locally in Northumberland, the bird is known as a “Tommy noddy”.
- The islands welcome several other species of birds too, including the Arctic tern, and it is believed that in all, they are home to around 1,50,000 birds. Arctic terns have the longest migration for any animal/bird in the world. These birds fly from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back, covering about 71,000 km every year. They will staunchly defend their eggs and chicks from perceived attack, and this could include a peck on a visitor’s head!
- The Farne Islands are home to thousands of grey seals (also known as Atlantic seals), and every autumn the place welcomes hundreds of newborn pups. A tiny number of common seals (also known as harbour seals) too are found in the region.
The threats
- Climate change seems to be having a bearing on the habitat as is evident from a survey that showed a decline in puffin numbers in certain areas of these islands. Their numbers have fallen sharply, and there are even fears the bird could be heading towards extinction within the next 100 years.
- While several places around the world face drought, in 2019, heavy rain was the bad news for birds in the Farne Islands. In just one day in June that year, the place received 12 cm of rain. Young ones of Arctic terns, puffins, and guillemots perished in the rain. This included at least 300 young puffins – called pufflings. All these species are ground-nesting birds which is what led to the catastrophe.
- The number of people landing on Inner Farne Islands has long been limited, keeping in mind the risk to the wildlife there. However, certain never changes – such as advance booking to visit the region – seem to be affecting the long-held balance between “visitor access” and “wildlife conservation.”
Picture Credit : Google
