The recent publication of the first ’red list for birds’, detailing the island’s endangered or threatened species, has inspired a new exhibition at the Manx Museum.

’Extinct’, which first went on display last weekend in the ’Cabinet of Curiosities’, has been put together as a joint effort between Manx National Heritage and Manx Wildlife Trust, and it highlights a number of birds, animals and plant-life that are all in serious peril and could potentially be lost to the island’s environment in short space of time.

Included in the exhibition are the white-tailed eagle, the Manx shearwater and the yellowhammer, which was once a common sight around the island but sadly disappeared from the Manx countryside in 2019.

The great auk, now globally extinct, is also featured.

Also featured are plant species such as Manx cabbage or caayl Vannin, and more common species including elm, spindle and the aquatic plant eelgrass, which currently is returning to Ramsey Bay.

The exhibition aims to inspire people to think about what the general public can do to help protect the island’s natural environment.

The exhibition was pieced together by Laura McCoy, natural history curator for Manx National Heritage, who said that the protection and understanding of our natural environment is a key part of the island’s UNESCO Biosphere status. ’All of the wonderful species and creatures that share our island, play a key role in creating and sustaining the unique biosphere of the Isle of Man,’ said Laura.

’Sadly, protecting our island biosphere is too late for some species that have become locally extinct on the Isle of Man.

’This eye-catching exhibition is exceptionally thought provoking and aims to inspire all who visit to help protect the Isle of Man’s natural environment and prevent more species being added to the island’s endangered and extinct lists.

Laura is quick to point out that it is not all doom and gloom for the island’s eco-system, pointing to several notable successes enjoyed through joint initiatives between conservation and cultural groups.

An island-wide ’Agri-Environment’ scheme was recently launched to try to encourage birds such as the lapwing to Manx fields.

The Manx shearwater has recently been re-introduced back on the Calf of Man, and the efforts to encourage puffins back on to the Calf, through ridding the island of rodents and using plastic puffin decoys, are beginning to show signs of success, something which is seen as a ’remarkable achievement for our island biosphere.’

’Through raising awareness and working together, we can achieve more stories of success and pass our island on to future generations in a better condition than we inherited it,’ said Laura.