Marine Wildlife

Wild Gannet Colony Welfare Monitoring

Northern gannet colonies are stable in the UK but face emerging threats from avian influenza, and colony monitoring reveals individual welfare indicators across populations.

Key Facts

Bass Rock in Scotland holds the world's largest northern gannet colony with over 150,000 birds
Avian influenza HPAI H5N1 caused significant gannet mortality in 2022 and subsequent years
Gannets have unique binocular vision for plunge diving at up to 100km per hour
Breeding success monitoring at gannet colonies provides long-term welfare and ecology data
Gannet pair bonds last for life and mate separation causes behavioural disruption

Welfare Considerations

Northern gannets face an emerging welfare challenge from avian influenza, which has caused acute mass mortality events in previously stable colonies. Individual birds dying from HPAI experience acute respiratory and neurological disease. The long-term welfare impact of avian influenza includes loss of established breeding pairs whose partners die, causing the social disruption of mate loss in a species with lifetime pair bonds.

What You Can Do

Support the RSPB monitoring programmes at Bass Rock and other gannet colonies
Follow HPAI surveillance data and support response programmes
Avoid approaching gannet colonies during disease outbreak events
Donate to seabird conservation organisations monitoring colony health
Engage with fisheries management about prey availability for diving seabirds