Invasive non-native species can have large and long-lasting impacts. For seabirds, the greatest threat is non-native ground predators which quickly decimate breeding colonies by eating eggs, chicks, and adult birds. We have seen this happen on islands all over the world, including Ramsey Island on the Pembrokeshire coast. While a rat eradication was successful on Ramsey and many species, in particular the Manx Shearwater are increasing in numbers on the island, the Puffin population has not returned. While eradications can be successful, they are expensive, take years to plan and even if it is successful the species lost may never return. Keep reading to find out more about the Biosecurity for Wales project and how we’ve been working to protect our seabirds and prevent the need for future eradications.

Just over a year ago, many of us were gathered in Edinburgh at the Biosecurity for LIFE end-of-project conference. Read our latest blog here with a summary of what we've been up to during the last year and what biosecurity improvements we still need to work on.

Carole Davis tells us about her experience as a biosecurity volunteer and the great work she does helping to protect our native seabirds on Papa Stour in Shetland.

In this blog, Biosecurity Officer, Holly Paget-Brown shares the role Biosecurity Officers play in getting Rapid Incursion Response Hubs set up. The project collaborated with an existing hub team, on the Isles of Scilly, and have now set up a further six hubs around the UK.

In this blog, Biosecurity for LIFE project executive Laura Bambini shares what the project saw and found out on a recent biosecurity study trip to Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf in New Zealand. In November 2022, the project visited islands and met with organisations involved in efforts to safeguard seabirds in New Zealand from the threat of invasive non-native predators and discussed awareness-raising campaigns, traps, rodenticide use, dogs, checks, signage… sounds familiar, right? We love that there is so much we can share with and learn from each other in island biosecurity, no matter where in the world we haul from.

Biosecurity training for new staff takes place in the beautiful Shiant Islands in April 2023.