Unspoilt Rathlin Island, sitting just off Northern Ireland’s spectacular Causeway Coast, is a haven for wildlife, including many threatened species, and is one of the most important breeding sites for seabirds in the UK and Ireland.
Its famous puffin colony attracts thousands of people to the island every year but, along with its other wildlife, it is under threat from invasive non-native species.
Now a £4.5 million island restoration project has been given the go-ahead. Over five years it will put in place measures to protect and promote Rathlin’s internationally important wildlife and landscape so future generations can enjoy seeing guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and the iconic puffins.
It is hoped that it may also result in the return of locally extinct species such as Manx shearwaters and storm petrels, which were once common on the island.
The project will be the largest of its kind on the island of Ireland and will be led by the expert conservation charity, RSPB, which has experience in similar island restoration projects.
By restoring Rathlin’s natural heritage, the project will also bring benefits for the local community, which numbers just 150 permanent residents, as well as ensuring that the island continues to be a popular destination for travellers.