Gannet chick rescued by SSPCA on Bass Rock

THE Scottish SPCA are nursing a young gannet chick after it was found stranded on rocks at the Bass Rock near North Berwick.

The wee gannet chick is being cared for by the SSPCA. Picture: Contributed/SSPCA

Officers from the wildlife charity were alerted to the two-week-old chick’s plight after staff at the Scottish Seabird Centre found it at the end of last month.

The young gannet is now in the care of the SSPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fishcross, and will stay there until it is old enough to be released back into the wild.

Centre manager Colin Seddon said, “The chick was stranded on the rocks as it is very young and cannot fly.

The world's largest gannetry, the Bass Rock. Picture: Wiki Commons

“It is likely that it was knocked out of its nest on the Bass Rock which is home to over 150,000 gannets.

“It is now being hand fed and we will care for it for four to six weeks until it is able to fly and then we’ll take it back to North Berwick to be released.”

The island is home to more than 150,000 gannets - the largest single rock gannetry in the world - as well as numerous other species including puffins, cormorants and guillemots.

Anyone who comes across an injured or distressed wild animal should call the Scottish SPCA helpline on 03000 999 999.