Everything about The Skellig Islands totally explained
The
Skellig Islands are two small, steep and rocky islands lying about 16 km west of
Bolus Head on the
Iveragh Peninsula in
County Kerry,
Ireland. They are famous for their thriving
gannet and
puffin populations, and for an early Christian monastery that's a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Little Skellig
The smaller island is
Little Skellig (
Sceilig Bheag in
Irish). It is closed to the public, and holds Ireland's largest and the world's second-largest Northern Gannet colony, with almost 30,000 pairs. It is about 1.5 km east of Great Skellig.
Great Skellig
Also known as
Skellig Michael (
Sceilig Mhichíl in
Irish), this is the larger of the two islands, rising to over 230 m above sea level. With a sixth-century Christian monastery perched on a ledge close to the top, Great Skellig is designated as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wildlife
Both of the Skellig islands are well known for their
seabird colonies, and together comprise one of the most important seabird sites in Ireland, both for the population size and for the species diversity.
Among the breeding birds are
European Storm-Petrels,
Northern Gannets,
Fulmars,
Manx Shearwaters,
Black-legged Kittiwakes,
Common Guillemots,
Razorbills and
Atlantic Puffins (with 4000 or more puffins on Great Skellig alone). Smaller numbers of
Choughs and
Peregrine Falcons can also be seen.
The surrounding waters teem with life also.
Grey Seals are common, and
Basking Sharks,
Minke Whales,
dolphins and
Leatherback Turtles have also been recorded. The islands have many interesting
dive sites due to the clear water, abundance of life and underwater cliffs down to 60 metres (200 feet).
Further Information
Get more info on 'Skellig Islands'.
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