Seabird Welfare and Climate Change

Climate change is disrupting seabird breeding, feeding, and survival in ways that cause widespread individual suffering.

Key Facts

Seabird populations have declined by 70% globally since 1950
Warming seas shift fish prey distributions away from traditional breeding colonies
Puffins, terns, kittiwakes, and guillemots are particularly affected around the UK
Chick starvation during poor prey years causes prolonged suffering before death
Extreme weather events are destroying nests and killing adults and chicks directly

Welfare Considerations

Climate-driven food shortages cause seabird chicks to starve slowly over days or weeks, representing a significant and growing welfare harm across millions of individuals annually. Adults experience chronic nutritional stress during breeding seasons when prey availability is poor. Plastic ingestion adds to the welfare burden, particularly for albatrosses and petrels that mistake plastic for prey. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the most important long-term intervention.

What You Can Do

Reduce your carbon footprint to slow ocean warming
Eliminate single-use plastic to reduce marine plastic pollution
Support seabird conservation organisations working to protect breeding colonies
Advocate for climate-responsive fishing policies that protect forage fish