LUNDY CALLING

By: Georgia Johnson-King, UHM MOP Student

The last 15 years have seen a significant increase in the Lundy Seabird population on the island off the North Devon Coast, following a program implemented that culled the feral rats. A program titled the “Lundy Seabird Recovery Project”, set into motion and run by Natural England, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the National Trust, and the Landmark Trust, was initiated in 2002 after the Lundy Seabird population had fallen to only 300 breeding pairs. 17 years later, the newest figure shows the population now stands at 21,000 birds. The island wasn’t officially declared rat free until 2006, which provided massive relief to the seabird population, as the rats would commonly eat the eggs and chicks of the ground dwelling birds. “The rate of increase is an indication of just how important rat free islands like Lundy are as breeding sites for seabirds,” stated Helen Booker, a senior conservation officer for the RSPB, to the British Broasdcasting Corporation (BBC) in 2013. “Lundy” is Norse for Puffin Island; the name being reflective of one of the main species that inhabits it. The program greatly benefited the island’s puffin population, with numbers increasing from five single birds to greater than 80. “We were really concerned as previous records show that puffin numbers on Lundy had plummeted from over 3,500 pairs in 1939 to less than 10 pairs in 2000,” stated Rosie Hails the director of science and nature at the National Trust. Lundy is home to an amazing diversity of seabirds, including in addition to puffins a number of Manx shearwaters, guillemots, and razorbills. The eradication of rats has proven to quickly and efficiently allow for an incredible increase in the populations of these species, proving not only how dangerous invasive species are, but how effective their removal can be. Seabirds are incredibly important components of marine organisms, and so it is essential to monitor their numbers and ensure that they have safe places to roost. Lundy has been able to return to its former state as a refuge for thousands of birds, but many of these species still need help. To learn more and assist seabirds, go to: https://projectpuffin.audubon.org/get-involved/donate-online or https://pacificseabirdgroup.org/support-the-efforts-of-the-pacific-seabird-group/. Lundy vista. By: James Stringer, Flickr.

Guillemots. By: Matt Dean, Flickr.