on a sunny summer day Iceland’s Westman
Islands seemed a vision of serenity
but despite the Placid appearance this
is in fact one of the most volatile
places on earth volcanic activity runs
rampant in Iceland earthquakes and
eruptions occur frequently and the land
above and below the sea is in a constant
state of flux the landscape is not the
only thing changing in the Westman
Islands something mysterious is
happening to one of the islands
best-loved inhabitants the Atlantic
puffin and the puffins have actually
been dying they’ve found them next to
the holes and they feel that they’ve
been starving but their loss will be a
blow for their neighbors the people of
Jemez puffin plays a huge role in the
culture of this society it has a place
in the heart of everybody so it is sort
of important that hopefully things
improve throughout history birds have
been abundant here the high grassy peaks
provide ideal nesting grounds and the
Seas have offered up a steady supply of
fish from year to year it’s been the
almost ideal spot for Atlantic puffins
and over time they’ve become tied to
this place
this is one of the world’s largest
colonies with an estimated 1.3 million
nesting pairs they spend most of the
year at sea returning to land in the
spring to rear a single chick but for
the past three years something has gone
wrong almost none of the puffins are
breeding researchers say they think they
know the root of the problem
historical catch records indicate a
severe decline in the puffins favorite
food
a small nutritious fish known as the
sand Lance but for the last three years
it’s been scarce in areas where it used
to be abundant the fish has also shown
up late in the puffins breeding season
puffins are not the only birds that may
be affected by the loss of the sand
plants other Icelandic seabirds have
also had breeding problems for the same
three-year period it was kind of sad to
experience a third year in a row of of
total breeding failure or close to that
one wonders if that’s going to continue
ecologist air / hansom has observed that
some birds travel great distances to
find food
many have opted not to reproduce and
those that did reproduce held off until
very late in the season perhaps waiting
for feeding conditions to improve in
desperation some breeding birds have
attempted to feed their offspring other
types of fish that the youngsters can’t
manage the sand
Celie but tiny little fish that the
puffins are used to eating hasn’t been
available they’ve seen puffs and parents
come in with large herring but the
little babies can’t swallow that so they
can’t eat that the researchers believe
the loss of the sand lance may be linked
with climate change in Iceland ocean
temperatures have increased by 3 point 6
degrees Fahrenheit in the past two
decades these puffins are not the only
ones to be affected by global warming
the researchers say this colony is
critical since it’s one of the largest
in the world
it’s true Birds have one unique
advantage over other species faced with
changing surroundings they can fly away
these puffins may do so seeking out new
nesting grounds if the food supply and
Iceland continues to decline changing
temperatures are creating turmoil and
nature across the globe but for the
Westman Islands where puffins have
reigned supreme the changes are hitting
close to home sponsored by National
Geographic mission programs taking
science and exploration into the new
millennium
Islands seemed a vision of serenity
but despite the Placid appearance this
is in fact one of the most volatile
places on earth volcanic activity runs
rampant in Iceland earthquakes and
eruptions occur frequently and the land
above and below the sea is in a constant
state of flux the landscape is not the
only thing changing in the Westman
Islands something mysterious is
happening to one of the islands
best-loved inhabitants the Atlantic
puffin and the puffins have actually
been dying they’ve found them next to
the holes and they feel that they’ve
been starving but their loss will be a
blow for their neighbors the people of
Jemez puffin plays a huge role in the
culture of this society it has a place
in the heart of everybody so it is sort
of important that hopefully things
improve throughout history birds have
been abundant here the high grassy peaks
provide ideal nesting grounds and the
Seas have offered up a steady supply of
fish from year to year it’s been the
almost ideal spot for Atlantic puffins
and over time they’ve become tied to
this place
this is one of the world’s largest
colonies with an estimated 1.3 million
nesting pairs they spend most of the
year at sea returning to land in the
spring to rear a single chick but for
the past three years something has gone
wrong almost none of the puffins are
breeding researchers say they think they
know the root of the problem
historical catch records indicate a
severe decline in the puffins favorite
food
a small nutritious fish known as the
sand Lance but for the last three years
it’s been scarce in areas where it used
to be abundant the fish has also shown
up late in the puffins breeding season
puffins are not the only birds that may
be affected by the loss of the sand
plants other Icelandic seabirds have
also had breeding problems for the same
three-year period it was kind of sad to
experience a third year in a row of of
total breeding failure or close to that
one wonders if that’s going to continue
ecologist air / hansom has observed that
some birds travel great distances to
find food
many have opted not to reproduce and
those that did reproduce held off until
very late in the season perhaps waiting
for feeding conditions to improve in
desperation some breeding birds have
attempted to feed their offspring other
types of fish that the youngsters can’t
manage the sand
Celie but tiny little fish that the
puffins are used to eating hasn’t been
available they’ve seen puffs and parents
come in with large herring but the
little babies can’t swallow that so they
can’t eat that the researchers believe
the loss of the sand lance may be linked
with climate change in Iceland ocean
temperatures have increased by 3 point 6
degrees Fahrenheit in the past two
decades these puffins are not the only
ones to be affected by global warming
the researchers say this colony is
critical since it’s one of the largest
in the world
it’s true Birds have one unique
advantage over other species faced with
changing surroundings they can fly away
these puffins may do so seeking out new
nesting grounds if the food supply and
Iceland continues to decline changing
temperatures are creating turmoil and
nature across the globe but for the
Westman Islands where puffins have
reigned supreme the changes are hitting
close to home sponsored by National
Geographic mission programs taking
science and exploration into the new
millennium
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