Native name:
Sceilig Bheag | |
|---|---|
Little Skellig
| |
  Little Skellig Little Skellig (Ireland) | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 51°45′58″N 10°31′59″W / 51.766°N 10.533°W / 51.766; -10.533 |
| 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 PeninsulaofCounty 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.
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