Wildlife Welfare

Wild Puffin Nesting Welfare

Puffin nesting welfare depends on undisturbed access to nest burrows, adequate fish prey, and freedom from avian influenza and introduced predators.

Key Facts

Atlantic puffins nest in burrows on cliff tops and grassy offshore islands
Sand eel prey depletion has caused breeding failure at some Scottish colonies
Introduced rats and American mink at some colonies cause significant egg and chick predation
HPAI avian influenza caused mass mortality at some colonies in 2022
Tourism boat watching provides income for coastal communities while threatening individual nest sites

Welfare Considerations

Puffin welfare during nesting depends on the intersection of prey availability, predator management, and human disturbance. Colonies where these factors are well-managed support successful breeding welfare for thousands of pairs.

What You Can Do

Support puffin colony monitoring programs through donation
Observe puffins only from designated viewpoints that respect nesting distances
Advocate for marine protected areas around puffin colonies protecting sand eel populations