Today we look back on one of the UK’s worst environmental disasters.
On this day in 1967, the supertanker SS Torrey Canyon struck Pollard’s Rock on the Seven Stones Reef, around eight miles off Land’s End, spilling around 100,000 tonnes of crude oil into the sea.
The impact on wildlife was devastating.
Over 8,000 oiled birds were brought to Mousehole Wild Bird Hospital for emergency care.
More than 15,000 seabirds are thought to have died as a result of the spill.
Species such as Puffins and Guillemots were hit particularly hard — some populations were reduced so dramatically that recovery has taken decades, and many are still vulnerable today.
This anniversary is a reminder of how fragile our marine ecosystems are, and of the dedication of the staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly during the crisis. Their efforts helped lay the foundations for modern wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.
Let’s honour the wildlife lost, the people who stepped up, and the ongoing work to protect our oceans for the future.
