In his series of great places to watch wildlife in the UK, the star of BBC One’s The One Show this month encourages you to experience a spectacular seabird colony on the UK coast.
Let’s be honest, given our size and geographical position, the UK appears low down on any global list that ranks countries according to their levels of biodiversity and endemism. However, with ‘Old Blighty’ hosting up to eight million seabirds throughout the summer months, this is one wildlife grouping where we can confidently compete on the world stage.
So, why does our assorted collection of islands hold internationally important numbers of seabirds? Well, firstly, and perhaps most obviously, the UK’s long and convoluted coastlines have an abundance of maritime cliffs. Secondly, our coastal waters have a wide range of depths, and strong surface currents, both ensuring high levels of zooplankton productivity, which in turn drives healthy fish stocks. Also, with commercial fishing still a key industry in many coastal towns, a whole tranche of seabirds have traditionally been able to take advantage of any discard thrown overboard.
Denne historien er fra July 2019-utgaven av BBC Wildlife.
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Denne historien er fra July 2019-utgaven av BBC Wildlife.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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