Puffin protection plan to go ahead on Jersey

Jersey has lost 99% of its breeding puffin population since 1910, conservationists say

Jersey is to get a brand new seabird reserve to help protect endangered puffins, razorbills and other native wildlife.

Approval has been given by the Jersey authorities for a new reserve on the north coast of the island.

It will allow a fence to be built along the cliffs which aims to protect puffins and their eggs from predators including rats and ferrets.

It comes after a dramatic decline in the breeding population to only six birds.

Local conservationist group, Birds On The Edge (BOTE), says that since 1910 Jersey has lost 99% of its breeding puffin population, 92% of its breeding razorbills and all of its breeding guillemots.

John Pinel from the group, told BBC News' Jonathan Morris that "puffins have been in decline for many years, and we think it's largely to do with the amount of predators up there.

"So the idea is to create a fence on the north coast which will protect colonies of many species of seabirds in Jersey."

Campaigners hope locally extinct breeds such as guillemots and storm petrels could also return to the headland.