World-first as Rathlin Island is declared ferret free (Northern Ireland) 23/Mar/2026 скачать в хорошем качестве

World-first as Rathlin Island is declared ferret free (Northern Ireland) 23/Mar/2026

In a world-first, Rathlin Island has eradicated ferrets - and residents have a special conservation dog to thank. The non-native predator was introduced to the island in the 1980s and has wreaked havoc on the internationally-significant breeding seabird colony. More than 400 traps were laid across the island as part of a five-year, £4.5m Life Raft project, which has also targeted rats. But crucial to the fight to save the seabirds was Woody, the red fox labrador specially trained to detect the species. The island is now ferret free and there are already encouraging signs in breeding seabird numbers, offering hope to other places round the world grappling with invasive predators. With no ferrets seen since October 2023, RSPB NI's area manager Claire Barnett is cautiously optimistic for the coming season. "Seabird colonies can recover very, very quickly, so we're very hopeful, and we've already seen some very promising signs from last year's breeding season, that the numbers here will climb up and really secure themselves." Removing ferrets also has benefits for the community. Tom McDonnell, a lifelong resident, said they could keep chickens again and build on their self-sufficiency. As a wildlife photographer, he says the project "can only be a win-win" for nature. "It's just beyond my wildest dreams. "Everybody thinks about the seabirds, of course, but I can't wait to see the growth in some of the animals, especially the hare population, because predation on the leverets, or the young hares, was big. "Plus a lot of residents can now raise their chickens without any worries, so that's definitely a positive." #raithlinisland #puffins #worldfirst #puffins2026 #birds #birdsUK