Eldey (Icelandic: Fire Island) is a small island about 10 miles off the coast of the Reykjanespeninsula, south west Iceland. It covers an area of about 0.03 square kilometres, and rises to a height of 77 metres. Its sheer cliffs are home to large numbers of birds, including the largest gannet colony in the world with some 70,000 members. The peninsula Reykjanes (also known under the name Reykjaneskagi) is situated at the south-west end of Iceland not far from the capital Reykjavík. ... A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body that is surrounded by water on three sides. ... Species Morus bassanus Morus capensis Morus serrator The gannets are part of the family Sulidae. ...
The island formerly supported a large population of great auk before the species was hunted to extinction. The last known specimen was killed on Eldey on 4 June1844. Binomial name Pinguinus impennis (Linnaeus, 1758) At 75 centimetres or 30 inches, the flightless Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis) was the largest of the auks. ... In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of species. ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... 1844 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...
The tiny island is home to one of the largest gannet colonies on the planet, and this is where the world's last two surviving great auks are reputed to have lived before they were killed by fishermen on 3 June 1844.
It is illegal to land on Eldey, but whale-watching trips from the Reykjanespeninsula often cruise the waters nearby.
The air is thick with gannets, and over the years, I have encountered blue, sei, humpback and minke whales and orcas within a stone's throw of the rock.
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