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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 18h

Fantastic turnout from the St Agnes & Gugh community at last week's #biosecurity thankyou event - some great presentations & conversations. Wonderful to see continued rat free status & sustained increase in Manx Shearwater & European Storm Petrel @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 19h

No, just brown rat, so if he indicates we know what it is he's found. You can find out more about our work @biosecuritylife.bsky.social

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

‘Shocking and sobering’: UK #bird populations fall to lowest level on record, with #seabirds the worst hit group, down by more than a fifth over the past 5 years. Ensuring they have #invasive predator free #islands to breed on is 1 way we can help protect seabirds www.theguardian.com/environment/...

theguardian.com

‘Shocking and sobering’: UK bird populations fall to lowest level on record

Nearly half of species are in decline, with farmland birds and seabirds the worst hit, conservation bodies say

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

#Biosecurity is 1 of many jobs on the to do list of #island managers or communities. #Lundy have had their fair share of challenges this year but have continued biosecurity checks & surveillance as it's a very important part of looking after a #seabird island www.landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland/...

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

It's no surprise that #Puffin have been been chosen by the public to be on the next #BankOfEngland notes - everybody loves them! #Invasive predator free #islands are essential for this species. Find out more about working with them from a #FarneIslands ranger here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbjT...

youtube.com

Clowns of the Sea | The Colourful Lives of Puffins | Podcast

YouTube video by National Trust

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Photos courtesy of RSPB Images: Ben Andrew

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Brown. Common #Guillemot are dark brown in colour but are often confused with black #Razorbills. Both #auks nest on cliffs, but even there some ledges & crevices are accessible to #invasive predators such as #rats. #Biosecurity helps keep #seabirds safe on #islands

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

We love this #biosecurity boardgame from #VentoteneIsland inspired by our free-to-use education materials! You can find these at biosecurityforlife.org.uk/education where you can order a boardgame - or get ideas for creating your own version!

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

For more on #biosecurity on boats check out our handy guides here: biosecurityforlife.org.uk/resources/ca...

biosecurityforlife.org.uk

Boating owners guide

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Some great advice in the August issue of @yachtingworld.com.web.brid.gy about how to humanely keep #rodents off your #boat. Not only useful for avoiding damage to your belongings or vessel but also to prevent harm to #island dwelling animals such as #seabirds www.yachtingmonthly.com/top-story/ho...

yachtingmonthly.com

How to humanely keep rodents off your boat

What are the most effective humane methods of keeping rodents off your boat? Chris Taylor explores the options. Read on to learn more.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Great for @jncc.bsky.social to visit the @nationaltrust.org.uk #Farnes team to see #seabird #island biosecurity measures in action. This will help guide the development of a UK #biosecurity database & app which will allow us to see more clearly what is being done & where further work is needed.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Thanks to wonderful volunteers like these, carrying out essential #biosecurity surveillance on #seabird islands to protect them from invasive predators. Biosecurity needs to continue forever, even on #islands where eradications have been carried out such as #Rathlin. www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaNq...

youtube.com

Day in the life of a volunteer couple helping to save Rathlin Island's seabirds | RSPB

YouTube video by RSPB

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Exciting to see what happens with #seabird numbers in the future, following all the hard work carried out by the community & #eradication teams. #Biosecurity helps protect against the need for future eradications & will be essential to keep #Rathlin #wildlife safe www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE7w...

youtube.com

How RSPB Northern Ireland is working to save Rathlin's seabirds | RSPB

YouTube video by RSPB

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

We have some clever remote download AI thermal imaging cameras from New Zealand in our #seabird #island #biosecurity toolkit now. This means less time is spent by conservationists looking at rabbits bouncing around islands & more time is focused on investigating images the AI doesn't identify!

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

The lefthand image had us all fooled that an unwelcome furry rodent had reached a seabird #island until we saw the righthand image of a mallard duckling! #Biosecurity involves everybody being vigilant for suspicious signs or sightings. Trail cameras are a helpful tool for keeping our #seabirds safe.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Fantastic to hear that some species on #RSPB #Coquet, such as Roseate Tern & Atlantic #Puffin have been breeding in greater numbers this year. These species nest here because the #island is free from invasive predators, #biosecurity measures help keep it this way www.birdguides.com/news/roseate...

birdguides.com

Roseate Terns reach 50-year high on Coquet Island

Britain's only Roseate Tern colony is bouncing back after bird flu, with 156 breeding pairs noted in 2026.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Gosh what a #biosecurity nightmare!!! Cats have caused the extirpation & extinction of many species on #islands around the world. Luckily they don't like water, but ships cats have been used for centuries as rodent control - not normally this many though! www.sacbee.com/news/article...

sacbee.com

A ghost ship with a crew of cats? Empty boat near Tacoma beach full of mews

The Tacoma Police Department estimates over 30 cats were free-roaming on board a deserted watercraft Thursday - with no sign of the owner.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Last week, we travelled to Auskerry to service our rodent monitoring stations. Auskerry is a rat and mouse free island, which makes it perfect for breeding seabirds to thrive on. After replacing our wax chew blocks to find none of them had any chew marks, we can be sure that this is still the case!

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Biosecurity is business as usual for @skomerisland.bsky.social @wtsww.bsky.social. They, like so many other islands, work tirelessly to protect & monitor seabirds while allowing us all to enjoy them. We've provided seabird islands in Wales with extra surveillance kit to support their brilliant work.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Puffins are returning out to sea where they will spend the next 8 months. But we will continue biosecurity checks and surveillance to ensure that their islands stay rat-free for them to return to next year, and for this years chicks to breed on safely too when they return in around 4 years time.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Biosecurity Beer Mats! We've put our biosecurity checklist on beer mats and distributed them amongst pubs and hotels surrounding seabird island embarkation points for visitors to seabird islands to swot up on biosecurity before heading out, have you seen one out in the wild yet? #NationalMarineWeek

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Burrow & crevice nesting #seabirds mainly nest on #islands free of invasive predators, #biosecurity protects them. Some, like this #pufflings parents still survive on mainland coastal cliffs by hiding in inaccessible sections where predators such as rats can't reach them & eat their eggs or chicks.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Projected #climatechange effects on #seabird abundance make #conservation action essential to mitigate impacts by securing safe breeding & feeding areas, restoring food supplies & reducing adult mortality. These goals can be achieved through investment in seabird action plans including #biosecurity

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Constantly surprised by the stories we hear...last week #Lundy had a dead hedgehog wash up, 11miles from the mainland! Hedgehogs aren't a fan of swimming so who knows how it got there! Read about why we love hedgehogs on the mainland but not on our #islands: biosecurityforlife.org.uk/blog/2020-04...

biosecurityforlife.org.uk

European Hedgehog

In light of the hedgehog’s mainland declines, it may seem a little surprising that they are considered an invasive species on the UK’s offshore islands. In fact, hedgehogs have been found to survive a...

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Fantastic to celebrate 20yrs of #Lundy being rat free last month. Manx Shearwater no's have increased 7500%, there are lots of fluffy chicks being monitored now. #Biosecurity is essential for continued success - e.g. checking #island supplies before loading & having rodenticide onboard MS Oldenburg

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Fantastic to see #island restoration & #biosecurity knowledge sharing on Isles of Scilly with @rspb.bsky.social, www.ulster.ac.uk/cmap & causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk joining Isles of #Scilly @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social for community workshops about: www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk/our-projects...

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Thanks to #PaddleCymru & @penrhynbirder.bsky.social for including links to our resources biosecurityforlife.org.uk/admin/resour... for kayakers in this great article which you can read online here: online.fliphtml5.com/mtwnw/Ceufad.... Happy paddling & #seabird spotting this summer!

biosecurityforlife.org.uk

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Are you surprised by the size difference between rats and mice?🐀 🐁 🐣

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Sightings of rats during the day usually means the presence of a well-established infestation, we cannot afford to wait until that point to respond. We use tools like these footprint tracker cards and wax chew blocks as an early warning system.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

One pregnant rat can produce a colony of over 300 in just 8 months and an adult rat eats about 30g a day - Puffin chicks weigh about 40g when they hatch and adult Storm Petrels weigh a maximum of 30g!

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

At this time of year seabird chicks should be safe in their rat-free island nests. But some islands have had serious incursions this year and we have witnessed seabirds being killed by rats on islands which were rat-free this time last year. Use our biosecurity checklist to help protect seabirds.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

@rspbcymru calls on our new @WelshGovernment for urgent action, including embedding robust biosecurity measures into relevant statutory organisations to protect the future of Wales’ internationally important seabirds. If you haven't already seen it: www.rspb.org.uk/wales/news/w...

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

You can keep up to date with our work around the UK @biosecuritylife.bsky.social. We can also be found on Instagram @biosecurityLIFE

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Today is #WorldSeabirdDay, marking the day the Great Auk was last seen in 1844. Let's ensure no other #seabirds go #extinct by ensuring they have safe spaces to breed & feed. Everyone can help by checking bags & boats before visiting #islands & remaining vigilant for #invasive predators like rats.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #QuietReflections, maybe this #Puffin is reflecting on how wonderful it is that people care about #seabirds having safe spaces to breed, carrying out quick #biosecurity checks of bags & boats before visiting our incredible #islands - thanks all! RSPB Images: Andy Hay

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

It's that time of year already when the #seabird cliff ledges start to get quieter with chicks fledging into the big wide world. Thanks to #biosecurity measures lots of our #islands continue to provide spaces free from invasive predators where seabirds can safely rear their young - a #happy sight!

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Find out more about what life is like managing an #island reserve from the #Coquet Site Manager below. The role is varied with habitat & volunteer management, species monitoring, & #Biosecurity surveillance & preventative measures just some of the tasks involved! www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

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Reposted by Biosecurity for LIFE

RSPB Scotland @rspbscotland.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Invasive non-native species are one of the major drivers of nature loss globally – and a significant pressure on Scotland’s wildlife ⚠️ We’re involved in projects and partnerships across Scotland to prevent, reduce or remove the threat to ensure our amazing species and habitats are protected 💪

A volunteer removing Tree Mallow on seabird island in the Forth. Text reads Working with the Scottish Seabird Centre and volunteers through SOS Puffin, we remove Tree Mallow from important seabird islands. This invasive non-native species can take over, preventing Puffins from nesting and rearing their young.

A brown and white conservation biosecurity dog in Orkney. Text reads The Orkney Native Wildlife Project aims to safeguard native species in Orkney by addressing the threat that invasive non-native Stoats pose. Highly trained Stoat detection conservation dogs help by indicating signs of activity.

Seabirds flying over the ocean. Text reads Biosecurity for Scotland helps deliver biosecurity plans for islands, support biosecurity surveillance, and delivers training for marine industries. The project also works to raise awareness and offers educational resources.

Rhododendron in Scottish rainforest habitat. Text reads Rhododendron ponticum is a huge threat to Scotland’s rainforests. It can spread rapidly and out-compete native plants. The Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforests works to tackle rhododenron and address threats from other invasive species too.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Thanks to @theseabirdgroup.bsky.social for helping us raise awareness about #biosecurity on #seabird #islands in their latest newsletter. We would love it if all seabird researchers became biosecurity ambassadors, helping us spread the word, carrying out checks & keeping their eyes out on the ground

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

It's #InvasiveSpeciesWeek and a good time to highlight that although many mammals are native to mainland UK, most are not native on islands and these invasive mammalian predators are a big risk to our important native seabirds. If you see one on an island report it to us or island staff!

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Island residents are always interested to watch our amazing Conservation Detection Dogs in action! We welcomed Reid and his handler Rachel onto the Biosecurity for Wales team for the day back in the spring to perform a routine check of @enllibardsey @bardsey_bird_obs

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

This highlights the importance of having surveillance out on our seabird islands, it's also a good reminder for those travelling to islands to check their boat, cargo and baggage thoroughly before heading out.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Fortunately Jinx did not indicate to anything and there was no further evidence of the rodent. It's believed that a single rodent arrived over the winter in building material deliveries but died without causing too much damage.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

During routine surveillance on the Skerries back in April, signs of rodent gnaw marks were discovered on a wax chew block. Within 4 days we had a full incursion grid laid out across the islands and Conservation Detection Dog Jinx and his handler Greg searched the islands for signs of rat.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

The island at this time of year is full of seabird chicks safely tucked away in their rat-free nests but we cannot be complacent, if you're lucky enough to be visiting Skokholm or any other islands this year, use our biosecurity checklist to help protect seabirds.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Back in the spring a routine Conservation Detection Dog check confirmed @skokholm_island continues to be rat-free. Jinx and his handler Greg searched buildings, burrows and were sure to check the area that a life raft wrecked back in 2024.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

The other island we work on in the Isles of #Scilly SPA is rat free Annet, the 2nd largest uninhabited island there. The public cannot land on Annet & the Isles of Scilly #Wildlife Trust only visit a few times a year to reduce disturbance to the 6000 pairs of seabirds & large grey seal colony there.

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Biosecurity for LIFE @biosecuritylife.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

St Agnes & Gugh is the main #island we work on in the Isles of #Scilly Special Protection Area. There are ~85 inhabitants but also room for increasing no.'s of burrow nesting European Storm Petrel & Manx Shearwater thanks to the removal of rats in 2013/14. #Biosecurity helps maintain this +ve trend!

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