Norse name Hafskotsey Area rank 90= Area 2.75 km² Island groups British Isles, Shetland | OS grid reference HU556930 Population 0 Highest elevation 30 m Lieutenancy area Shetland | |
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Hascosay (Old Norse "Hafskotsey") is a small island lying between Yell and Fetlar in the Shetland Islands, Scotland.
Contents
Map of Hascosay, United Kingdom
Geography and geology
The island's rock is coarse micaceous gneiss.
The island has several pools, but the fresh water in them is frequently contaminated by salt spray.
The area of Hascosay is just over one square mile.
History
The population of the island was 42 in 1841, but had shrunk to thirteen within a decade. A mere twenty years later, the island was uninhabited. The laird, Arthur Nicholson, who had bought it had "cleared" parts of Fetlar, and it is possible that the islanders removed themselves in anticipation of a possible future forcible eviction by this landowner.
Wildlife
The island is designated as a Special Area of Conservation on account of its largely undisturbed blanket bog habitat. It is also home to a population of otters.