Wildlife Welfare

Wild Gannet Juvenile Welfare

Young gannets leaving colonies for the first time face extreme welfare challenges as they learn to fish and migrate without parental guidance.

Key Facts

Juvenile gannets leave colonies and become fully independent at around 3 months of age
First year mortality is high with many young birds dying from starvation and exhaustion
Young gannets must independently discover fishing grounds and migration routes
HPAI has added additional mortality pressure to already challenging juvenile survival
Colony-marked individuals from Bass Rock and Bempton have been tracked during migration

Welfare Considerations

Juvenile gannets face the acute welfare challenge of immediate independent survival after colony departure, with starvation and exhaustion being major mortality causes in the first year. This natural welfare challenge is compounded by HPAI mortality and reduced fish availability from climate change.

What You Can Do

Support seabird monitoring programmes tracking juvenile gannet survival
Advocate for sustainable fisheries that maintain fish stocks available to juvenile gannets
Donate to seabird research organisations studying gannet migration and survival