Skelligs Special Protection Area, Ireland

The Skellig Islands

are located 11 kilometers off the Southwestern coast of Ireland. The uninhabited islands are characterized as a Special Protection Area (SPA) by the E.U. Birds Directive. This SPA contains two islands, Great Skellig (also referred to as Skellig Michael) and Little Skellig. The two islands are separated by a distance of two kilometers. The SPA boundary consists of some of the surrounding water as well, leading to an area 6.24 square kilometers in size. The elevation of the islands varies from sea level to a high point of 234 meters on Skellig Michael. The climate on the islands is highly regulated by the nearby warm ocean currents and can be classified as a temperate forest biome despite its Northern latitude. Steady rainfall occurs throughout the year; however, vegetation is sparse due to the rocky landscape and heavy presence of birds. The isolation of the Skellig Islands makes them an ideal spot for sea bird conservation efforts. The islands are home to thousands of nesting sea birds and special conservation interest is given to the Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Storm Petrel, Gannet, Kittiwake, Guillemot, and Puffin. The islands are also home to historical nesting sites for the highly protected Peregrin Falcon. Little Skellig is completely off limits for docking boats, further shielding sensitive bird species on the smaller island. The remoteness of these islands also made them an ideal location for medieval monks, and some monastic structures still exist on Skellig Michael dating back to the 10th century C.E. After being vacated by the monks, lighthouse builders occupied the islands in 1820 and remained there until the islands fell under state guardianship in the 1880s. Architectural protection began in 1986, and Skellig Michael is now classified as a National Monument of Ireland. Since that time these islands have become prominent tourist destinations with the country of Ireland having to impose a quota system to limit crowds. The original monastic structures are still present on Skellig Michael and have been featured in multiple Hollywood films.