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 two kilometres!
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 by filling out the contact form on the Biosecurity for LIFE website

You can find more ways to get involved on Biosecurity for LIFE's website, including awareness raising materials, activity packs, and boat user information packs.

Join Biosecurity for LIFE on Twitter by following @BiosecurityLIFE as the project return to the islands this summer and help spread the word about island biosecurity.