Mellum, Uninhabited dune island in the East Frisian Islands, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Mellum spans approximately 3 square kilometers of shifting sand dunes and tidal marshes that are continuously reshaped by North Sea currents and wind patterns, reaching a maximum elevation of 3 meters above sea level.
Formed at the end of the 19th century through natural sedimentation processes, Mellum emerged as a separate island from the Butjadingen peninsula and has grown from its original 7 hectares in 1903 to over 320 hectares today.
Protected since 1921 and managed by the Mellumrat e.V. since 1925, this uninhabited island serves as one of Germany's last untouched refuges within the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea National Park.
Access to Mellum requires special permits and is strictly regulated to protect wildlife habitats, with guided excursions permitted only outside bird breeding seasons and a single research station operating during summer months.
The island hosts over 5,000 breeding pairs of gulls annually and serves as a crucial stopover for migratory seabirds, while its dynamic landscape constantly changes through natural erosion and accretion processes without human intervention.
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