Residents are given the opportunity to learn about the rare and interesting species and habitats of the island during Manx Wildlife Week.

Several events are taking place from May 4 to 12 which will provide the public with a chance to learn about the work that charities, groups, individuals and the government are doing to protect the wildlife here.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) is leading and organising a number of the events with the first being on Saturday, May 4.

DEFA officers will lead a walk around the Santon Gorge and Port Soldrick Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI), one the island’s 21 ASSIs.

The area is home to ancient oaks, species-rich coastal grassland, coastal flushes and also has a variety of breeding and wintering birds.

On Sunday, from 10am, DEFA will lead a 6.5 mile guided walk of Greeba Mountain ASSI, which begins at the north end of Governor Loch’s Road, opposite Sartfell plantation, and eventually leads through Glion Gill plantation.

The walk will take four hours in rough, unsurfaced upland - so sturdy footwear, outdoor clothing, drinks and snacks are a must. Dogs are not permitted.

On the Tuesday (May 7) a two-hour walk of the Ayres National Nature Reserve - a core area in the island’s UNESCO Biosphere - will be led again by DEFA officers at 10am.

A talk on the island’s ASSIs by DEFA officers will take place the following day at 7.30pm at Thie Slieau Whallian, St John’s.

The public can learn more about the island’s rivers and streams on the Saturday (May 11) with an afternoon of short talks on topics including folklore, flood management, fisheries conservation and riparian wildlife.

This takes place at the Manx Museum lecture theatre and will include speakers such as Bangor University’s Dr Nigel Milner, who will present results from the Celtic Sea Trout Project that looks into the sea trout stocks and fisheries of rivers entering the Irish Sea.

The closing event, on the Sunday, celebrates efforts made by young people towards nature, conservation and the sustainability of the island.

Guest speaker is naturalist Dara McAnulty, 15, who is an ambassador for the iWill youth social action campaign and for the RSPCA, winner of TV programme Springwatch’s Unsprung Wildlife Hero Awards and has appeared on TV, radio and in print. He publishes his first book next year.

Manx Wildlife Week is organised by Manx National Heritage with partners. All the DEFA events are free, but tickets must be booked via manxnationalheritage.im/whats-on/detail/manx-wildlife-week-2019/