A Scottish family, the Dalrymples, has sold Bass Rock and the neighbouring uninhabited Craigleith to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) after 320 years of ownership. The main reason for the deal was the desire to ensure stronger protection for one of the world’s largest seabird colonies.
The islands are home to about 100,000 northern gannets and around 10,000 puffins.
Bass Rock has long been regarded as one of Scotland’s natural and historical landmarks. The huge white rock in the Firth of Forth is literally covered in birds during the nesting season. Among the ruins of a 14th-century castle and a former 17th-century prison, nicknamed the “Scottish Alcatraz,” new generations of seabirds appear every year. It is this combination of history and living nature that has made the island world-famous.
For many years, the Dalrymple family worked to preserve the island together with the Scottish Seabird Centre. That work helped increase the puffin population and remove invasive trees that were disrupting the natural balance.
The family’s decision to give up ownership was driven not by economic reasons but by conservation concerns. According to Sir Hugh Dalrymple, seabirds today face growing threats, and a large specialist organisation has far greater capacity to protect them than a private owner. He acknowledged that the move was emotionally difficult for the family, but said the long-term well-being of the islands mattered more than the tradition of ownership.
