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Gannet
Morus bassanus
Weight: 2.2–3.6 kg
Length: 85-97 cm
Lifespan: up to 35 years
Diet: fish
UK Distribution: Bass Rock, Scotland
You may not know:
- Gannets can dive into water from the air at 100kph
- To cushion the blow of hitting the water, a Gannet has special adaptations. One of them being air sacs in the face and chest under the skin which act like bubble wrapping, cushioning the impact with the water.
- Scotland is home to around 60% of Europe’s gannets. In late January the gannets return to Bass Rock:. Over 150,000 gannets can be nesting here at one time, making it the largest Northern gannet colony in the world.
