Skomer is a very carefully protected Conservation Area because of a unique bio-diversity and because it is home to very large populations of Puffins (40,000) and Manx Shearwater (700,000) – both species living in burrows rather than surface nests or cliff faces as do the thousands of other birds there. That’s on an island that’s just 1.9 by 1.2 miles in size. As a result of the burrowing, most of the island is peppered with holes and the ground around them is very fragile, so visitors must always keep to the predefined pathways.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/40a5864f-d3bf-4965-a9bc-3158f568df81_rw_1920.jpg?h=317c4c242a79bebbefe10c22d6e1e8af)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/944e933c-a8bc-41fa-90dd-efae18532d43_rw_1920.jpg?h=69fb4f2298f223a54a5474dc5387d67a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/656411b3-4a60-44e1-8375-7059cd76cd24_rw_1920.jpg?h=de5b0f529892a216fdbff71cd1c1dd19)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/32b21f62-5c96-4021-b36a-7d1199548ca5_rw_1920.jpg?h=cbac348981b50a4b7830a87df297efee)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/351a4e7f-4f8f-4f52-adb5-c83e56726f9f_rw_1920.jpg?h=015d494c16567fb7146be06be7517c78)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/b54888e1-6a48-4ff8-9da6-75c4a2863fa7_rw_1920.jpg?h=7d5aa1260fddd66f12a3d18ea39ece2d)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/c543fa30-1a27-422e-99e0-b0e64734f130_rw_1920.jpg?h=588d2c17996055647a94b150edc2933c)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/78cc88b5-6852-43b9-951b-8ea3250e4845_rw_1920.jpg?h=668a5a0a6001ae9dfeaa356ff8911bf0)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/ec3a1475-f636-4529-8702-97876a3a9c2a_rw_1920.jpg?h=23d33dfb6a3b3aaeac939c4dd1c44bb5)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/3f409145-a235-40d7-a927-30f648f370a9_rw_1920.jpg?h=919d7fd8e72bfd0df4782af9395f96c3)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/21b7d943-596c-4d19-a910-6b840ca9d7c8_rw_1920.jpg?h=cba139f04a978d11091a725e7191cc72)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/3e4f5469-78a9-485a-87d7-dde4f10c0261_rw_1920.jpg?h=47a6d7cedab7d9608bd12ff5d93b9f94)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/3e22c91f-57aa-42d1-9d39-ee938c4d7dc1_rw_1920.jpg?h=fb565fbfef458fe47da39e5c500d9d3d)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/f08c0dcf-29d5-411b-9826-c4e83700864e_rw_1920.jpg?h=10d5983d76da63d4bb066f7d249941b2)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/6494ca28-96b8-419b-aaad-b933b7b730d7_rw_1920.jpg?h=5cbd08ab2e1d7b26c2c95d5fcedf1cfa)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/35049fb2-87b4-44ec-a014-8fdfa49bf5e1_rw_1920.jpg?h=44288abd42600e54b6399962fd4d8956)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/63c12faa-5359-4d86-8792-dbf2fb3618e7_rw_1920.jpg?h=93da4e0700badeec7ba20c8e11d424c5)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/375510ab-4f55-4e39-a2cd-3906cbc87c8e_rw_1920.jpg?h=ab9f9386bf0173da11c6a27547a56e3a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/ff99bec2-d626-4f2e-93c6-62d7fa39abb2_rw_1920.jpg?h=39dfaf292351f81182d3210c2b074a4b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/a134c07b-e239-48b4-a796-9b55bc78c605_rw_1920.jpg?h=e0240c656774a7976cdbfa9477def69b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/af3eeedf-2d5d-4d8d-a578-45fec7d4ce0c_rw_1920.jpg?h=d14062f61da5747e110e6a806434efcd)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/adb462ce-6c88-4897-bd32-d91b3edc1f02_rw_1920.jpg?h=752cbeb50e808ae3d63cdbd482d1d2fd)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/0753e40d-6fcd-4d11-89c8-b6405cb25705_rw_1920.jpg?h=78e454b23025b4984c50caffde430c9e)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/18b70c40-6474-43e8-be75-12f645a61720_rw_1920.jpg?h=97b58be905a584d5805508354135a4be)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/8d251c69-d4bc-4a08-90a1-cfacf110fa2c_rw_1920.jpg?h=06a90f57eeb5b981841d433cdaa9ac60)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/2a64e269-884a-498b-bc41-26c80b9caaa6_rw_1920.jpg?h=08f2d4297db2223129c60d69fb4c8787)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/41cf71d1-c41f-417d-bc87-a32ac9dcd8bb_rw_1920.jpg?h=a0d6233f65037ad9cdca9c08d470df94)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/65f711fb-c328-44f1-9205-331b7c438089_rw_1920.jpg?h=53442a5409da0952958fe1c225f473d1)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/1ee1dc44-bf8c-4b7f-a2a3-81b390da714b_rw_1920.jpg?h=11b9c974afba51d8b9c2891cd93883ea)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/22b4cdc8-987c-40d6-b393-315628e75ed1_rw_1920.jpg?h=8c30141c41186d031576155e00f57a5d)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/44f38d53-f57c-4b42-a120-996a68778dd7_rw_1920.jpg?h=4f7b3ceb554edff3b25db3f07db71d86)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/87849104-b1d7-49d5-8385-3684b8c96c62_rw_1920.jpg?h=5eab97b7e0ec4fb0086f03f368697812)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/a298cfa8-f59b-40bf-89ca-8f181de0f895_rw_1920.jpg?h=e01ead945f7eb7441d2c779254d3f629)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/40d152fb-f3d9-4328-bbcb-cb8dddf9cb8b_rw_1920.jpg?h=656e5b0372ea2daa40c27015dd1121a1)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/b2d14873-7b78-4cdc-8122-e9899f8285c2_rw_1920.jpg?h=4e509d55578b8dd5ad3c54291388022b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/c4d64682-989f-4f9d-ba76-b001a8abd2b4_rw_1920.jpg?h=8528ca9f7418eaf967a43dd0b0f0efae)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/4a6dec8d-96c9-47c8-9c97-59ee834ed3eb_rw_1920.jpg?h=e43338a766f3936c4fbb7baf92a89f6a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/6739db50-431f-4b04-a568-e16b3c61970b_rw_1920.jpg?h=5907407b26c88bfbdf6ccd91212bee63)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/056dd66f-bcb6-43ec-8a32-d76fcd7acdd6_rw_1920.jpg?h=09b72675d9edbaf2bfc5011d6dde261f)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/bc9ccd5a-8e9a-4f28-a7fd-63d0c0d0a27f_rw_1920.jpg?h=54376b254f053395e7f1b2d6fff34f9e)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/11154656-f8a5-498d-9603-7849a0c2a335_rw_1920.jpg?h=7e49e452150626e17a74155fa5ab91be)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/8056cc7d-f6ad-425f-94e7-88d8dea768b7_rw_1920.jpg?h=b60191e4723f4378b35b1e1880fa6ee6)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/ea656b89-8b71-4afa-b972-95efed149093_rw_1920.jpg?h=7e2b241ffa81086c2be8599868fe3a5a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/b92786cc-6830-4278-bbdf-e3c0c1a59181_rw_1920.jpg?h=6f5137a5864c2e25d202a2a75c42b810)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/56ca1212-e982-420a-9e3b-928d24dd1298_rw_1920.jpg?h=9b331eea56b88bc8366a78d11df0888d)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/e0a8b61f-6699-4fef-a41b-97fe1f8e8894_rw_1920.jpg?h=a7fa91d26a08ee1948ebd2dd985dc09b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/58514c1f-8a5b-4369-8937-37a42dc3e11c_rw_1920.jpg?h=996b2f609ff0682dc1210033a85daf02)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/5273d3ba-59cf-4a32-94cb-ad594957a109_rw_1920.jpg?h=1410d340f273126baab108d1d8dade17)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/9b5db522-324d-412f-8db5-4d10397b7e12_rw_1920.jpg?h=65ab6911c22241737b6ac788233b23b4)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/ad9a1fb2-3b38-4d1d-8c4e-fb345c264118_rw_1920.jpg?h=979a4328e4f934317235f120ba858d26)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/78bae2a1-0ffe-4c91-a3d3-18d5464e8414_rw_1920.jpg?h=4a4ec018cdaf1335a98995f79b41efc1)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/afd47805-2ecc-4af3-9ea3-2f4f2a3c2a4e_rw_1920.jpg?h=05cc3dae9e5c016f98e7a070e7caa61a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/c5630a63-e842-47fe-83d9-580eaae86772_rw_1920.jpg?h=c638c1aba7db7ad1c7e3a420a12553c9)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/b64eaca5-a00d-4e2c-b52c-e4ea621adde7_rw_1920.jpg?h=455d1baa78cebabfe7c461bb641661d2)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/a2f66887-31d2-42ce-ac37-5948948e6bd9_rw_1920.jpg?h=20aeedd9def34200fd78786b27444638)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/81f25722-289e-4f51-8efb-a7faafd18cf5_rw_1920.jpg?h=521cd424e08aad1a3367821a24de4025)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/6cf92681-2088-4ad9-92d2-fe0fe86c73f4_rw_1920.jpg?h=77ebc193344986d6d91754c1f46f7420)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/468bd009-8980-461c-be86-b747925a6f04_rw_1920.jpg?h=c7e63744739aeba47b63c10a50a65798)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/319783e0-64b7-4057-8e11-c60e7e1a5dd4_rw_1920.jpg?h=7636fa8d091816d12de226e829932544)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c4e51871-963a-4a93-9897-ac04b2aff55b/15879536-1fd4-44ff-9570-3c4e615b875e_rw_1920.jpg?h=6e5667e81ff0fbd44aa3df7f1df49c8e)