Ayres National Nature Reserve updates

The latest news from the Ayres National Nature Reserve (NNR), a Biosphere core area:

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has been updating its visitor information over the winter both on site and with a new section in the 'Resources' area of the UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man website, where you will find useful information and interesting facts about the NNR and the special wildlife that lives there. Resources include our new signage, map and leaflet.

New for 2024 are changes to the Ayres NNR (Department Land) Byelaws that now include a prohibition on fires and barbeques and the requirement that dogs must be on a lead no more 3m long when signs are in place on the NNR, to protect the ground nesting birds.

An update from 2023: little terns, our Biosphere's rarest tern, had a successful breeding season with 21 pairs fledging 18 young. Fourteen pairs of curlew nested on the reserve and, although they all hatched chicks, only six pairs managed to fledge young, meaning that predation of the chicks was very high. An estimated 30 pairs of ringed plover and 30 pairs of oystercatcher nested on the shingle beach with both species fledging some young.

If you would like to find out more about the NNR, please book a free place on the guided walk being led by our Biodiversity Warden on the 28th April, a Manx Wildlife Week event.