Alarm after herring gulls found covered in oil
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- Manx Wild Bird Aid collected 13 herring gulls found coated in an unknown orange substance "smelling like fish oil" around Mill Road in Peel, while several other partially oiled birds were spotted and could not be retrieved
- The charity said the oiling has been a recurring problem in Peel since 2022, with a peregrine falcon among birds previously collected from the same area, calling it a recurring pattern that "makes a mockery of our biosphere status"
- The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) said it was aware of the reports, was investigating the cause, and was "committed to assisting in the prevention of future occurrences"
- Manx Wild Bird Aid warned the substance would kill most gulls "sooner or later," causing hypothermia when waterlogged, potential drowning, and starvation of chicks if a parent is lost
- DEFA urged the public to contact the department if they find oiled birds
- The charity placed blame squarely on inaction, saying the island "should be ashamed that this is happening to birds year after year and nothing is ever done"
Why it matters: A recurring wildlife hazard in a town that holds UNESCO Biosphere status undermines the Isle of Man's conservation credibility. DEFA has launched an investigation but has not identified a source or a prevention plan, leaving gulls and possibly other species — including the previously affected peregrine falcon — exposed to repeated harm.
