Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, Ecological reserve on four islands near Witless Bay, Canada
The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve is a group of four islands off the eastern coast of Newfoundland, together with the surrounding marine zone. The islands have wooded interiors and rocky shorelines, and the waters around them support a wide range of seabirds and marine life.
The area was first set aside as a wildlife reserve in 1964 and received its official status as an ecological reserve in 1983. Over time, the protected zone was extended to cover the surrounding waters as well as the islands themselves.
The islands are best known for their large puffin colonies, which gather on the rocky slopes each early summer. Boat tours bring visitors close enough to watch the birds coming and going from their burrows.
Boat tours from nearby communities such as Bay Bulls and Witless Bay are the main way to see the islands and their wildlife. Landing on the islands is not permitted for the general public, so the experience is best enjoyed from the water.
The islands are home to one of the world's largest colonies of Leach's Storm-petrels, with hundreds of thousands of pairs arriving each year to breed. These small birds spend their entire lives at sea and only come ashore to nest, making the islands a rare place where they can actually be seen on land.
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