Rats are thought to have travelled over on boats within the nineteenth century.
The ferret is thought to have been introduced in intentionally within the Nineteen Eighties to manage pests.
But as a substitute of looking rabbits and rats, it quickly turned its consideration to the simple prey of ground-nesting birds, their eggs and chicks.
Erin McKeown, RSPB NI’s Senior Seabird and Marine Policy Officer, stated breeding seabirds throughout the UK and Ireland have declined by 62% during the last 20 years.
“Here on Rathlin in 2017, a feral ferret reached one of our puffin colonies and killed 27 puffins in a two-day period,” she stated.
“So we’re hoping alleviating that invasive non-native species pressure will allow our seabirds space to breed, raise their young and flourish once more.”
Life Raft was launched in 2021 to rid the island of each ferrets and rats.
More than 400 ferret traps were laid in 2023.
Almost 7,000 handmade rat bait traps had been set each 250m throughout the island in 2024.
Claire Barnett stated offering seabirds with protected breeding areas is essential as they face large challenges globally.
“Seabirds are in big trouble – when they’re not inland nesting, they’re out in the seas, so they’re under a huge amount of pressure from climate change, from our warming waters, from overfishing, from plastic pollution.
“All of these issues are having critical implications for these birds, however what we will do and do fairly shortly is be sure that they have a protected place to nest.
“Because they’re seabirds, they have one egg every year, and if they don’t get those birds away, the numbers are going to dwindle very, very quickly.”
