The birds of Iceland star each summer in one of the planet’s most moving conservation traditions.
Between August and September each year, inhabitants of the Vestman Islands throw thousands of Atlantic puffins off the cliffs into the sea to save them from a certain death.
This practice, which seems contradictory, rescues thousands of chicks that become disoriented by the artificial lights of coastal towns.
The problem of artificial lights affecting Iceland’s birds
Year after year, puffin chicks, called pufflings, leave their nests to seek the ocean for the first time.
These small birds naturally orient themselves by the moonlight over the water. However, the town lights completely confuse them.
Therefore, instead of flying towards the sea, they end up lost in streets, gardens or under cars, where they risk being run over or starving.
That’s when the local community springs into action with their nighttime rescue patrols.
Every night of the season –puffling season–, children and adults go out with flashlights and cardboard boxes to patrol the corners.
This total mobilization seeks to gather the disoriented specimens before it’s too late.
The inhabitants systematically walk through streets and gardens to find these small lost birds. It is a tradition that involves entire families for weeks.
The puffin patrols, as they are known, have become a fundamental community mission for the conservation of the species.
The next day, the rescuers take the boxes to the coastal cliffs. There, they throw the puffins into the air or directly into the sea to help them resume their path to the ocean.
A species that depends on Iceland
This gesture is vital for the survival of the species worldwide. Without this help, many chicks would not survive their first encounter with human civilization.
The importance of this tradition transcends Icelandic borders. The country is home to between 60% and 80% of the world’s Atlantic puffin population.
It is estimated that between 8 and 10 million puffins arrive in Iceland each summer.
This figure far exceeds the island’s 370,000 human inhabitants.
The relationship between the Icelanders and these birds represents a unique example of coexistence and active conservation.
The tradition demonstrates how an entire community can make a difference in protecting a vulnerable species.
Key facts about puffin rescue in Iceland:
The patrols operate mainly between August and September
Thousands of chicks are rescued each season
The tradition involves the entire local population
The problem arises from the confusion caused by artificial lights
Iceland is home to the majority of the species’ world population