Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
On Skomer Island, despite the global decline in puffin populations, a remarkable success story has unfolded. The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) has reported a record number of puffins on the small island off the Pembrokeshire coast. This year, a staggering 43,626 puffins were counted, marking a new high for the island.
Skomer Island, spanning 2.92km², is a crucial seabird sanctuary managed by the WTSWW. Its strategic isolation shields it from common predators like rats, cats, and foxes, as well as human interference from the mainland. Not only is the island flourishing with puffins, but it is also a sanctuary for 350,000 breeding pairs of manx shearwaters and numerous guillemots and razorbills.
Every spring, the WTSWW conducts an annual seabird count on Skomer Island to monitor the returning bird populations. Puffins, in particular, are meticulously counted by six staff members during the evenings as the nesting season begins. The counting process, according to Skomer Island’s visitor officer Rob Knott, is a meticulous task that involves segmenting the island into sections and tracking the birds on land, sea, and in the air.
While puffins are thriving on Skomer Island, the global population faces a concerning decline. Listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, these seabirds encounter various threats such as pollution, food scarcity, and climate change. The WTSWW attributes Skomer Island’s flourishing puffin population to the rich food sources available in the region and the absence of predators on the island
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.