Marine Animals

Wild Razorbill Welfare and Marine Habitats

Razorbills are cliff-nesting seabirds whose welfare depends on fish prey availability and freedom from oiling and bycatch.

Key Facts

Razorbills nest on cliff ledges in dense seabird colonies
They dive up to 120 metres to catch small fish including sandeels
Oil spills are a major acute welfare threat - thousands can be affected in a single spill
Bycatch in gill nets causes drowning mortality in UK waters
Population trends are broadly stable but climate-driven prey changes are emerging

Welfare Considerations

Razorbills oiled in spills lose waterproofing rapidly and die from hypothermia and ingested oil toxicity. Wildlife response teams that retrieve oiled razorbills and provide rehabilitation prevent some deaths. Preventing oil spills through marine regulation and preparedness capacity is the primary welfare intervention for this and all marine seabird species.

What You Can Do

Support oil spill response and wildlife rehabilitation organisations
Advocate for strong marine pollution prevention standards
Donate to seabird monitoring and conservation