Funk Island Ecological Reserve

Funk Island Ecological Reserve, 60 km east of Fogo Island off the northeast coast of Newfoundland, is home to more than one million common murres, numbers that make it the largest colony of common murre in the western North Atlantic.

Common Murre Chick

And there’s more. Other seabirds also come to the flat granite island to nest, including Northern gannet, Northern fulmar, Atlantic puffin, razorbill, thick-billed murre, black-legged kittiwake, and herring and great black-backed gulls.

As a seabird ecological reserve, Funk Island is now known for its ability to protect seabirds. This was not always the case. In previous centuries, Funk Island was one of the major nesting areas of the Great auk, and people came regularly to hunt the birds and take their eggs. The island’s official name, in fact-“funk”-reflects people’s awareness of the overwhelming odour of rotting bird droppings. The Great auk-large, flightless birds-were eventually hunted to extinction.

This loss shows how human activity can result in the extermination of a wildlife species. Making Funk Island an ecological reserve has helped other seabird species recover from similar exploitation and near extirpation from the island.

Common Murre

Funk Island is in the Eastern Hyper-oceanic Barrens ecoregion (862 KB). At 5.2 km2 (5 km2 of which is the marine component), the reserve is the smallest seabird ecological reserve in Newfoundland and Labrador, but it’s also one of the most important. To protect the nesting seabirds, only scientific research activities are allowed on the island.

Funk Island was first protected in 1964 as a wildlife reserve under the Wildlife Act. In 1983, it was designated Funk Island Ecological Reserve, three years after the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Act was passed.

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How to get there Satellitte Image

Funk Island is located off the northeast coast of Newfoundland, about 60 km east of Fogo Island. There is no public access to the island; visits are for scientific research only.

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Activities

No activities are permitted on Funk Island other than scientific research. For more information and research guidelines, see Science & Research.

Northern Gannet

Commercial and recreational fishing can occur in the waters of the reserve. All provincial and federal regulations apply when fishing in the reserve. Boaters must be careful in the marine portion of the reserve so as not to disturb the birds.

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Services

There are no services within the reserve.

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Fees and Schedule

There are no fees involved in obtaining scientific research permits. However, scientific research permit applications must be submitted to the Natural Areas Program by March 31 for review by the Seabird Ecological Reserves Advisory Committee.

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Rules and Regulation

Biodiversity protection and habitat conservation are two of the key purposes of ecological reserves, so certain rules apply within all the reserves in the province.

The public can visit most ecological reserves for educational purposes or low-impact recreational activities-such as hiking or sightseeing-but these activities are prohibited on Funk Island due to the significance and sensitivity of the site. Landings are restricted to people conducting approved scientific research.

The following activities are strictly prohibited in all wilderness and ecological reserves:

Common Murre Chick

  • Disturbing, destroying, or removing plants, animals, or fossils
  • Introducing plants, animals, or anything else to the reserve landscape
  • Forestry, mining (including exploration), hydro development, agriculture, new roads, tracks, or building construction
  • Driving off-road vehicles including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)

It is important that boaters approaching the island do so carefully so as not to disturb the birds.

Regulations and a management plan are pending for Funk Island Ecological Reserve.

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