Bass Rock: The tiny island that gannets love ...and prisoners presumably hated
8 May 2017
A few miles off the coast of North Berwick sits the core of an old volcano, Bass Rock. Despite being just over a mile long, it is home to the .
Bass Rock - the tiny island that gannets love
Murray Orr visits the island hailed as one of the 12 wildlife wonders of the world.
But the gannets are not the only creatures to make use of Bass Rock.
Its remote location made it a natural place to house a jail.
In the 17th century, .
The remote location does not mean that the gannets have had a stress-free existence.
Back in the 19th century people, including members of the Royal Family, would visit the island to shoot the birds as they nested.
Luckily, things improved for the gannet population in the 20th century when visitors stopped shooting and began just observing.
While Bass Rock is recognised as a , there are concerns that human activity might yet impact on the birds.
Some scientists have warned that gannets fly higher than previously thought, meaning that they could be .
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