PUZZLE OF PUFFINS IN PERIL
LIKE MUCH of the rest of the country, Ellie Owen has been glued to David Attenborough’s She’s interested in the shots of coral reef and elephant seals chasing giant tuna, but it’s the footage of seabirds which has really grabbed her attention.
It’s perhaps no surprise. Ellie is a conservation scientist for the RSPB and for the last year or so has been heading up Project Puffin, which was set up with the hope of discovering why some colonies of this most recognisable of seabirds have seen numbers decline rapidly.
“Did you see the puffins on the latest episode?” she asks. “They were described as ‘a fisherman, a farmer and a mate for life’. That’s so true, but in some parts of the country they appear to be really struggling and we don’t know why.”
In recent years puffin numbers across the UK and Europe have plummeted, leading to the species being declared vulnerable to global extinction. If the situation doesn’t change, further declines of between 5079 per cent are estimated by 2065.
While the exact cause of the decimation is not known, one theory is that the seabird’s traditional food source – sandeels – have themselves felt the brunt of warming seas caused by climate change.
“We have theories,” adds Ellie. “But what we really need is more dedicated research into the puffin colonies so we can build up an accurate picture of how they are currently surviving and the impact dietary changes are having on their ability to feed their young.”
In a bid to discover what is really going on beneath the waves, earlier in the summer the RSPB issued a call to arms, asking members of the public for their help in capturing the birds feeding on camera.
“We were inundated and the quality of the pictures was just incredible,” says Ellie. “I think people liked the fact that it was a bit of a challenge. In the end 600 people took part, sending us in 1,400 photos of puffins from almost 40 colonies. That kind of data is not only invaluable, but we would never have been able to amass it on our own.
“We just simply couldn’t afford to pay for photographers to go out to all these different sites. I’ve always believed that conservation science is something that everyone should be involved in. A bit like recycling, if we are really going to make a difference, then everyone needs to play their part.”
Initial analysis of the images revealed that puffins are feeding their chicks more than 12,000 different types of fish. Sandeels remain an important part of their diet, but they appear to be being supplemented with a number of other species.
With the images logged, the Project Puffin scientists are now looking at how diet differs between the various colonies and looking for clues as to why some colonies are doing well and others are declining. Early hints suggest that puffins living in areas where they are currently struggling were finding much smaller fish than most other colonies.
“At Bempton we were sent images of puffins feeding off herrings and sprats,” says Ellie of the Yorkshire RSPB reserve close to Bridlington. “That’s interesting in itself, but what I am now doing is measuring the size of fish in relation to their beaks. A bird might have 10 sprats in their mouth, but you can only determine how successful that fishing trip has been once you know how big they are.”
While climate change has had an major impact on sandeel populations, it’s not the only issue. Rich in omega 3 oils, sandeels have been historically turned into animal feed and fertiliser. For a long time they were harvested on an industrial scale by Denmark and fed to the pigs of the Danish Bacon industry.
Since then there have been moves to regulate the use of sandeels, but another operation has recently begun again in the North Sea which is causing organisations like the RSPB cause for some concern.
“The colonies which have been the most badly hit by are on Iceland which is home to two-thirds of the world’s Atlantic puffin population,” adds Ellie. “That makes sites like Bempton potentially even more important in the future.
“Somewhere like Bempton could become one of the last refuges for a bird like the puffin, but we need to make sure that there is a proper conservation policy in place.”
While the future for the puffin appears bleak, Ellie remains hopeful that those who have already written the seabirds’ obituary have been a little premature.
“When people ask me what if anything can be done to stem the decline I am always optimistic,” she says. “It does have to be a political solution under which countries across the world unite to combat climate change. That’s why Donald Trump’s decision to step away from the Paris climate accord was so disappointing. It is literally taking food out of the pufflings’ mouths.”
It’s another damning image for a presidency which hasn’t yet reached the 12 month mark, but according to the RSPB there are moves closer to home which could yet throw the puffin a lifeline.
“We have to reduce our reliance of fossil fuels,” says Ellie. “Where there are large colonies, like at Bempton, we must ensure that predators like rats and cats aren’t introduced and we must reduce plastic pollution. For a bird like the puffin, ingesting plastic is what’s known as sub-lethal. It may not kill them directly, but it may affect their ability to breed.”
As part of Project Puffin birds at two sites in Scotland have now been GPS tagged allowing scientists to track where they go to feed and during this year’s breeding season, a census was also undertaken at key colonies. These, together with the image bank, will help provide a conservation blueprint which may just help safeguard the puffin in the UK.
“There is an ongoing debate about the viability of introducing seabird conservation areas,” says Ellie. “At the moment it is proving quite difficult to introduce. If you want to protect a specific species of fish, you can identify key breeding areas. Unfortunately birds move so it’s not so easy to draw a line on a map.
“That’s why our work at tracking where these birds to over the course of a season is so vital. I am torn. At times I just wish the powers that be would get on with it, but I know that if these conservation zones are to have a chance of really working then we have to ensure that they are based on the most accurate information possible.
“What I do know is that puffins are now the same extinction risk level as giant pandas. They require urgent action because if their food supply fails entirely then they could be lost to us forever.”
To find out more about Project Puffin, which is supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, visit rsb.org.uk