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Studying the Natural Environment Explosive Beginnings Climate Vegetation Seabirds Marine Life Soay Sheep Mice & Wrens Current Research (pdf format, 251KB) There has been a great interest in the natural history of St Kilda, since the middle of the 19th century. This continues today under the supervision of Scottish Natural Heritage. A research project studying the Soay sheep begun in the 1950s continues today and there have been major surveys of the seabirds on and around the islands. In more recent years there has been a growing interest in the marine life and many divers visit St Kilda to explore beneath the waves. The clarity of the water and St Kilda's remote and unique location has made the archipelago very attractive to visiting divers. The islands' unique subspecies of wren and mouse are not currently being studied in detail, but are monitored by the seasonal wardens.

The late Prof Peter Jewell, who organised much of the Soay sheep research on St Kilda Photograph: Peter Jewell