Puffin Island (County Kerry)

Puffin Island (Oileán na gCánóg in Irish) is an uninhabited steep rocky island lying off the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland.

Puffin Island
Native name:
Oileán na gCánóg
Puffin Island, with the Skelligs in the background
Puffin Island
Geography
LocationAtlantic Ocean
Coordinates51°50′N 10°25′W
Length1.5 km (0.93 mi)
Width0.7 km (0.43 mi)
Highest elevation159 m (522 ft)[1]
Administration
ProvinceMunster
CountyKerry
Demographics
Population0
Puffin Island
Highest point
Elevation159 m (522 ft) [1]
Prominence159 m (522 ft) [1]
ListingMarilyn
Geography
OSI/OSNI gridV339677

Geography

The island is about 1.5 km long and 0.7 km wide, and rises to 159 metres.[1] It is separated from the mainland by Puffin Sound, which is only about 250 metres across. Day visits to the island from Valentia can be arranged.[2]

Nature conservation

Puffin Island holds important populations of several seabird species, including Atlantic puffins, Manx shearwaters and European storm-petrels, and was acquired as a nature reserve by the Irish Wildbird Conservancy (now BirdWatch Ireland) in the early 1980s.[2]

History

The island also has some signs of ancient human habitation, and it has attracted the interest of archaeologists.

References
  1. "Puffin Island". MountainViews. Ordnance Survey Ireland. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  2. BirdWatch Ireland. "Puffin Island, Co. Kerry". Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  • Puffin Island from mainland
  • Puffin Island and, in the distance to its left, Valentia Island

Media related to Puffin Island (Ireland) at Wikimedia Commons

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