Island Fact - no.4

Wild Cat Island, the magical location featured in Arthur Ransome's book Swallows and Amazons, is based on Peel Island on Coniston Water in the Lake District.

Island fact - no.3

According to UK Coast Guide there are 291 inhabited islands in the UK. To find out more, visit www.ukcoastguide.co.uk

Island fact - no.2

Eilean Glas lighthouse, Scalpay

In 1821 Robert Louis Stevenson paid a visit to Eilean Glas on the island of Scalpay. During the trip his crew captured a great auk, which they took aboard intending to take it to a zoo. The auk escaped 'while being allowed to fly for exercise'. It was last seen off the Mull of Kintyre. 'This bird is thought to have been one of the last living great auks'.

This fact was sourced from the Eilean Glas Lighthouse Guide Book.

Island fact - no.1

Anna Meredith from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sudies in Midlothian is currently investigating a disease affecting palmate newts on the Isle of Rum in Scotland. Symptons include 'blister-like nodules or lumps' on the skin 'caused by a protozoal parasite'.

In a bid to discover how widespread this condition is, Anna is asking for people across the UK to report any sightings of newts with lumps and bumps to anna.meredith@ed.ac.uk. (Please do not handle or disturb the animals). 

This fact was sourced from the June issue of BBC Wildlife magazine.