Native name: Sceilig Bheag | |
---|---|
Geography | |
Location | Atlantic Ocean |
Coordinates | 51°45′58″N 10°31′59″W / 51.766°N 10.533°W |
Area | 8 ha (20 acres) [1] |
Highest elevation | 134 m (440 ft) [2] |
Administration | |
County | Kerry |
Demographics | |
Population | 0 |
Little Skellig ( Irish: Sceilig Bheag) is a small, steep rocky island in the Atlantic Ocean, 11 km off the Iveragh Peninsula of County Kerry, Ireland. [2] It is one of the two Skellig Islands, together with the larger Skellig Michael. Little Skellig is a nature reserve and bird colony. Landing on Little Skellig is not allowed. [2]
Little Skellig is the smaller of the two Skellig Islands, the other being Skellig Michael, 1 km to the south-west. [1] The islands rose c. 374–360 million years ago during a period of mountain formation, along with the MacGillycuddy's Reeks mountain range. Later, they were separated from the mainland by rising water levels. [3] [4]
The island has a large bird population, including a colony of northern gannets which is the largest in Ireland, [1] and one of the largest in the world. [2] The island, together with Skellig Michael, is part of a 364 ha Important Bird Area established by BirdWatch Ireland in 2000. [1] BirdWatch Ireland has designated Little Skellig as a nature preserve. It houses over 35,000 breeding pairs of gannets.
Native name: Sceilig Bheag | |
---|---|
Geography | |
Location | Atlantic Ocean |
Coordinates | 51°45′58″N 10°31′59″W / 51.766°N 10.533°W |
Area | 8 ha (20 acres) [1] |
Highest elevation | 134 m (440 ft) [2] |
Administration | |
County | Kerry |
Demographics | |
Population | 0 |
Little Skellig ( Irish: Sceilig Bheag) is a small, steep rocky island in the Atlantic Ocean, 11 km off the Iveragh Peninsula of County Kerry, Ireland. [2] It is one of the two Skellig Islands, together with the larger Skellig Michael. Little Skellig is a nature reserve and bird colony. Landing on Little Skellig is not allowed. [2]
Little Skellig is the smaller of the two Skellig Islands, the other being Skellig Michael, 1 km to the south-west. [1] The islands rose c. 374–360 million years ago during a period of mountain formation, along with the MacGillycuddy's Reeks mountain range. Later, they were separated from the mainland by rising water levels. [3] [4]
The island has a large bird population, including a colony of northern gannets which is the largest in Ireland, [1] and one of the largest in the world. [2] The island, together with Skellig Michael, is part of a 364 ha Important Bird Area established by BirdWatch Ireland in 2000. [1] BirdWatch Ireland has designated Little Skellig as a nature preserve. It houses over 35,000 breeding pairs of gannets.