Wildlife

Wild Puffin Chick Welfare

Puffin chick (puffling) welfare depends on sandeels delivered by parents, and climate-driven prey decline is causing widespread chick starvation at key colonies.

Key Facts

Puffins feed their single chick exclusively on sandeels until fledging at 38-44 days
Sandeel populations have declined with rising sea temperatures displacing prey fish northward
Chick starvation is measurable through reduced fledging weights and chick mortality rates
Climate change is causing mismatch between puffin breeding timing and sandeel availability peak
Marine protected areas that limit sandeel fishing protect prey availability for chick rearing

Welfare Considerations

Puffin chick welfare is directly threatened by climate-driven sandeel decline. Systemic climate action and marine protection that maintains sandeel stocks are the most effective long-term welfare interventions.

What You Can Do

Support climate change mitigation as essential for puffin chick welfare
Advocate for marine protected area expansion that limits sandeel fishing in puffin foraging areas
Support RSPB seabird monitoring that tracks puffin chick welfare and colony trends