Story perspectives

Rat-Free Lundy Island Sees 40,000+ Seabirds, Pushes for Protection

7/1/2026

Summary

Story summary

Lundy Island was declared rat-free in March 2006, sparking seabird recovery.
Seabird counts now exceed 40,000, the highest since the 1930s, with Manx shearwaters over 25,000 (?95 % of England’s breeding population).
Puffin numbers rose from 13 in 2000 to 1,335, with storm petrels reaching over 150 pairs since 2014.
Managing director Derek Green called the recovery a UK conservation success while RSPB officer Helen Booker urged Special Protection Area status.

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Story summary

Lundy Island was declared rat-free in March 2006, sparking seabird recovery.
Seabird counts now exceed 40,000, the highest since the 1930s, with Manx shearwaters over 25,000 (?95 % of England’s breeding population).
Puffin numbers rose from 13 in 2000 to 1,335, with storm petrels reaching over 150 pairs since 2014.
Managing director Derek Green called the recovery a UK conservation success while RSPB officer Helen Booker urged Special Protection Area status.