Gannet Islands Ecological Reserve
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Gannet Islands Ecological Reserve
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 Razorbill colony in the Gannet Islands |
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| location | Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada | |
| surface | 22 km² | |
| WDPA ID | 18137 | |
| Geographical location | 53 ° 56 ' N , 56 ° 34' W | |
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| Sea level | from 0 m to 60 m | |
| Setup date | 1964 | |
| administration | Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Fisheries and Land Resources, Land Management Division, Natural Areas Program | |
The Gannet Islands Ecological Reserve is a nature reserve off the south east coast of the sub-province of Labrador, part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador . The reserve was established in 1964. In 1983 the protected area received its current status. The name of the main island and the archipelago is the British naval ship HMS Gannet .
location
The 22 km² large reserve includes Gannet Island with the neighboring islands. The area is divided into 2 km² of land and 20 km² of water. The archipelago is 16.4 km off the coast of the Labrador Peninsula . The nearest town is Cartwright, 40 km southwest . Access to the protected area is reserved for scientists only.
fauna
The largest breeding colony of the razorbill ( Alca torda ) in North America is located on the Gannet Islands . It consists of around 10,000 breeding pairs. The archipelago is also home to the third largest breeding colony of puffins in North America. It comprises more than 38,000 breeding pairs. There are also 36,000 breeding pairs of the guillemot and 1,900 breeding pairs of the thick-billed mum . Other bird species on the Gannet Islands include kittiwake , black-backed gull and fulmar . Furthermore, in the summer months, the islands are the starting point for many collar ducks for their bird migration to the south.
flora
The islands are included in the Labrador's Coastal Barrens ecoregion . Tundra vegetation dominates the interior of the island. Mainly sour grasses , low-growing heather and shrub vegetation grow there .
Web links
- Gannet Islands Ecological Reserve at Natural Resources Canada
- Gannet Islands Ecological Reserve at www.protectedplanet.net