A group of islands that make up one of the UK’s most important bird sanctuaries are to remain closed after new cases of avian flu were detected.
The disease devastated the seabird population of the Farne Islands, off the coast of Northumberland, last year and National Trust rangers expect thousands more deaths this year.
The discovery of three new cases led to the announcement, on Tuesday, that the islands will be off limits until the end of August when the breeding season comes to an end.
The popular sail-round tours of the islands offered by local boat operators will continue.
The Farne Islands are home to an abundance of birdlife including puffins, shags, guillemots, eiders, fulmars, kittiwakes and Arctic terns which, after Northumberland, epically migrate to Antarctica.
Last year, because of avian flu, 6,000 bird carcasses were removed. That figure, experts said, was likely to be far below the true number, since many dead birds in the densely packed cliff colonies would have fallen into the sea.
Thousands of seabirds are returning to the islands and the positive cases have left rangers braced for a repeat of last year.
Harriet Reid, lead ranger for the islands, said: “Sadly, with confirmed cases there is a strong likelihood that we will see thousands of birds affected by the virus again this year.”
Many of the bird species on the islands are rare or struggling because of the climate crisis.
“By restricting access to the islands for visitors and limiting disturbance – which can cause distress to sick birds and potentially increase the transmission of bird flu – we hope to give the birds the best chance of survival,” said Reid.
National Trust has been caring for the islands, home to about 200,000 seabirds annually, for nearly a century. There are no records, the trust said, of anything so potentially damaging to the already endangered colonies.
Ben McCarthy, the head of nature conservation at the National Trust, said the impact of avian flu on the wild birds was “unprecedented”, with the high density of colonies making birds visiting the Farne Islands more susceptible.
“We are working with partners to investigate measures to mitigate the impacts as well as better understand the long-term impacts of this pernicious disease,” he said.
The islands are also home to one of England’s largest grey seal colonies. To see them, the public will have to use companies such as Billy Shiel Farne Island boats, which has been operating trips since 1918.
Rachel Shiel, from the firm, said people could still see the birds and seals at close quarters. She added: “These trips provide a fantastic vantage of the fabulous Farne Islands without disturbing the important work being undertaken by the National Trust to monitor and protect the wildlife.”
