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🇷🇸 Serbia /Environment & Climate

Scientists alarmed as puffin colony declines on Scotland’s Isle of May

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

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  • The number of active puffin burrows on Scotland’s Isle of May fell by about 30 percent in two years, to roughly 36,500.
  • Researchers associate the decline with food shortages, warmer seas, extreme storms and other harsh weather.
  • The island remains an important refuge for seabirds, seals and migratory species, prompting calls for continued monitoring and conservation work.

The number of active puffin burrows on Scotland’s Isle of May has fallen by roughly one-third in just two years, alarming researchers at one of Britain’s most important seabird colonies.

A joint study by NatureScot and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology counted about 36,500 active burrows during this summer’s survey, compared with approximately 52,000 in 2024. Researchers said many birds died during powerful storms, while warmer seas affected sand eel populations, a key food source for puffins.

The decline likely reflects several pressures acting together, including a lack of food, poorer survival during winter conditions and increasingly extreme weather, said reserve manager David Steele. He compared the current situation with a sharp decline seen at the beginning of the millennium, after which the puffin population recovered over the following decade.

The current decline most likely results from a combination of several factors, including a lack of food for seabirds, poorer survival during winter conditions and increasingly extreme weather.

· David SteeleThe Isle of May reserve manager described the pressures behind the puffin decline.

The researchers spent six days systematically surveying the island, counting burrows and checking whether puffins or rabbits occupied them. The island also supports razorbills, storm petrels, terns and gulls. With no large predators, it provides an important refuge for many species. Several thousand seals gather there in autumn and winter, while around 250 migratory bird species use the island as a stopover.

The Isle of May, about eight kilometers off Scotland’s Fife coast, has been a nature reserve since 1956. UKCEH fieldwork leader Mark Newell warned that future extreme weather events could affect the breeding of puffins and other seabirds. He said the birds had already faced a series of exceptional climate events, underscoring the need for continued population monitoring and conservation work.

The results show how important continued population monitoring and conservation work are in areas such as the Isle of May.

· David SteeleHe highlighted the need for ongoing protection and monitoring after the fall in active burrows.
About this summary

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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