Rathlin Ferrets: Seabird Havens Restored After Eradication

A conservation effort has successfully eradicated feral ferrets from Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland, to protect thousands of seabirds.

Protecting Northern Ireland’s Seabird Colony

Rathlin Island, off the north coast of Co Antrim, is home to Northern Ireland’s largest seabird colony, with over 250,000 birds – including puffins, razorbills, guillemots, and Manx shearwaters – breeding and nesting there annually. The island also provides a habitat for corncrakes, a ground-nesting bird extinct elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

These birds faced significant threats from a feral ferret population, introduced to the island in the 1980s. The ferrets preyed on eggs, chicks, and adult birds.

Eradication Effort

The LIFE Raft partnership, led by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), worked with the island community to eradicate the ferrets. The team utilized trapping, camera and thermal drone surveillance, and a detection dog named Woody.

This is the first time a scheme has successfully removed ferrets from an inhabited island, according to the team. The LIFE Raft scheme is also working to remove brown rats, another threat to ground-nesting birds, from Rathlin Island.

Prior to the eradication, an estimated 100 ferrets inhabited Rathlin Island, posing a serious risk to bird populations. One ferret was observed killing up to 27 puffins in a two-day period.

“They put a really high pressure on this place, the seabirds have to breed and raise their young,” said LIFE Raft programme manager Erin McKeown.

The ferrets also impacted the local community, entering chicken coops on the island.

The eradication project began in 2021, involving 30 staff and 60 volunteers working primarily during the autumn and winter months to avoid disturbing breeding seabirds. The work was often conducted in challenging weather conditions.

Positive Signs and Future Biosecurity

The project is now considered a success, with a focus shifting to biosecurity measures to prevent the reintroduction of ferrets or other non-native predators. Manx shearwaters are already breeding on the island for the first time in 20 years.

“From a wild bird perspective, this is one of the most robust, critical lifelines we can give our seabirds on our islands across the UK and the island of Ireland,” McKeown stated. She noted a 74% decrease in the puffin population on Rathlin Island since 1999 and emphasized the urgency of such conservation efforts.

RSPB NI director Joanne Sherwood called the eradication “an extraordinary moment for Rathlin, for Northern Ireland, and for conservation globally.” She added that encouraging signs of recovery are already visible, with populations expected to rebound in the coming years.

Marina McMullan, chairwoman of Rathlin Development and Community Association, highlighted the benefits to the local community, including the ability to raise poultry again, employment opportunities, and new skill development.

Claire Barnett, area manager with the RSPB in Northern Ireland, explained that the eradication process involved trapping ferrets during the winter months using lures. A one-eyed fox red labrador, Woody, assisted in locating ferrets in hard-to-reach areas and has now been promoted to biosecurity dog to prevent reintroduction.