ares ) ▁and ▁Little ▁Sal te e ▁( 3 7 ▁hect ares ). ▁They ▁have ▁been ▁largely ▁un occup ied ▁since ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁and ▁have ▁been ▁priv ately ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁Ne ale ▁family ▁since ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁T ogether ▁the ▁islands ▁cover ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁ 1 . 2 ▁square ▁kilom eters . ▁ ▁Prote cted ▁status ▁ ▁The ▁islands ▁are ▁a ▁bre eding ▁ground ▁for ▁ful mar , ▁g ann et , ▁sh ag , ▁k itt iw ake , ▁gu ille mot , ▁raz orb ill , ▁pu ff in ▁and ▁grey ▁se al . ▁An ▁area ▁surrounding ▁both ▁islands ▁and ▁extending ▁approximately ▁ 5 0 0 m ▁off ▁shore ▁was ▁granted ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁a ▁Special ▁Prote ction ▁Area ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁bird ▁habitat . ▁The ▁islands ▁are ▁also ▁at ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁a ▁related ▁Special ▁Area ▁of ▁Conserv ation ▁named ▁after ▁them , ▁extending ▁to ▁the ▁main land ▁coast line ▁east ▁of ▁Kil more ▁Qu ay . ▁ ▁The ▁conservation ▁area ▁specifically ▁addresses : ▁the ▁mud ▁and ▁sand ▁fl ats ▁on ▁the ▁main land ▁coast line ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁those ▁surrounding ▁the ▁main land ▁facing ▁sides ▁of ▁Little ▁Sal te e ; ▁large ▁shall ow ▁in lets ▁and ▁b ays ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁of ▁an ▁imag inary ▁line ▁joining ▁Kil more ▁Qu ay ▁and ▁Great ▁Sal te e ; ▁re ef s ▁throughout ▁the ▁entire ▁area ; ▁the ▁veget ated ▁sea ▁cl iffs ▁which ▁surr ound ▁both ▁islands ; ▁sea