£4.5m Life Raft project targets invasive ferret and rat predators to protect Rathlin Island's endangered puffin colony.

Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland, is facing a decline in its seabird populations, particularly puffins, due to predation by rats and ferrets. The £4.5 million Life Raft project aims to eradicate these invasive species to protect the endangered puffin colony, which has seen a 74% decline since 1991. Initial efforts have successfully removed ferrets, and the project will now target rats using poisoned bait. This approach has historically boosted biodiversity in similar cases.

October 20, 2024
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