Gruinard

Gruinard is a small, uninhabited island located in Gruinard Bay, Wester Ross, on the northwest coast of Scotland. It is approximately 1.2 miles (2 km) long and 0.5 miles (0.8 km) wide. The island is characterized by its rocky terrain, heathland vegetation, and a small population of sheep.

Historically, Gruinard was inhabited and used for sheep farming. However, its most notable period came during World War II. In 1942, the British government conducted biological warfare experiments on the island using the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax. The island was deliberately contaminated with anthrax spores as part of research into the effectiveness of anthrax bombs and their potential use as a weapon.

Following the experiments, the island was deemed too contaminated to be safely inhabited and was quarantined. A large exclusion zone was established, and entry was strictly forbidden for decades due to the persistent danger of anthrax infection. The contaminated soil posed a significant biosecurity risk.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a major decontamination effort was undertaken. Teams of scientists and military personnel worked to sterilize the island's soil using large quantities of the chemical malachite green. This process was largely successful, and in 1990, the government declared the island safe for reoccupation. Gruinard remains uninhabited, though it is no longer under quarantine.