Little Skellig
Little Skellig (Irish: Sceilig Bheag) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, 11 km south-west of Valentia Island in County Kerry, Ireland.[2]
Little Skellig | |
Little Skellig Little Skellig (Ireland) | |
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Atlantic Ocean |
Coordinates | 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 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Little Skellig. |
Geography
Little Skellig is the smaller of the two Skellig Islands, the other being Skellig Michael, 1 km to the south-west.[1] 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 the centre of a 364 ha Important Bird Area established by BirdWatch Ireland in 2000.[1]
Access
Landing on Little Skellig is not permitted.[2] BirdWatch Ireland has designated Little Skellig as a nature preserve. It houses over 35,000 colonies of Gannets.
Popular culture
The "Skellige Isles" or "Skellige" in the series The Witcher is based on the Skellig Islands. The word Skellig(e) derives from the Irish (Gaeilge) "Sceilg", which can be translated into "Rock" or "Cliff".
References
- "The Skelligs: Great Skellig and Little Skellig". BirdLife International. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
- "Little Skellig, Co. Kerry". BirdWatch Ireland. 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2012.