Numbers of puffins at one of the UK’s largest colonies have increased by around a third since 2017.
Numbers of puffins at one of the UK’s largest colonies have increased by around a third since 2017.
NatureScot and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) have completed a count of burrows on the Isle of May National Nature Reserve (NNR) in the Firth of Forth, a protected and internationally important habitat for seabirds.
Based on their all-island count this summer, scientists estimate there are around 52,000 occupied puffin burrows, compared to 39,000 in the last survey in 2017 – a 33% increase.
However, Mark Newell, UKCEH’s field manager on the Isle of May, warns this figure may mask a recent decline in the species. Scientists remain concerned about the ongoing impact of food supplies and climate change on populations.
Read More: UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Photo Credit: Michael Blum via Unsplash
