Mellum is an uninhabited
island lying southeast of
Wangerooge, off the coastal settlements of
Horumersiel and
Schillig.
Mellum formed as an island off the end of the
Butjadingen peninsula—which divides the outflows into the
Wadden Sea
The Wadden Sea ( nl, Waddenzee ; german: Wattenmeer; nds, Wattensee or ; da, Vadehavet; fy, Waadsee, longname=yes; frr, di Heef) is an intertidal zone in the southeastern part of the North Sea. It lies between the coast of northwestern conti ...
of the
Jade
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...
and
Weser rivers—only at the end of the nineteenth century.
It is chiefly composed of
dunes and
tidal marshes. The influence of sea currents and winds is constantly altering the shape and position of the island, which in 2006 had a total surface area of approximately 750 hectares (1853 acres).
An important
breeding and feeding ground for wild birds, Mellum is part of the
Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park and a nature protection zone.
The island's only house is today used during the summer months for wildlife observation and scientific research purposes only.
References
East Frisian Islands
Islands of Lower Saxony
Uninhabited islands of Germany
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