Puffin Island (County Kerry)

For other uses, see Puffin Island.
Puffin Island
Native name: <span class="nickname" ">Oileán na gCánóg

Puffin Island, with the Skelligs in the background
Geography
Location Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates 51°50′N 10°25′W / 51.833°N 10.417°W / 51.833; -10.417Coordinates: 51°50′N 10°25′W / 51.833°N 10.417°W / 51.833; -10.417
Length 1.5 km (0.93 mi)
Width 0.7 km (0.43 mi)
Highest elevation 159 m (522 ft)[1]
Administration
Province Munster
County Kerry
Demographics
Population 0
Puffin Island
Highest point
Elevation 159 m (522 ft)[1]
Prominence 159 m (522 ft)[1]
Listing Marilyn
Geography
OSI/OSNI grid V339677

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

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. 1 2 3 4 "Puffin Island". MountainViews. Ordnance Survey Ireland. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  2. 1 2 BirdWatch Ireland. "Puffin Island, Co. Kerry". Retrieved 2009-11-02.

Photo gallery

External links

Media related to Puffin Island (Ireland) at Wikimedia Commons


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