Sunday, November 15, 2009

Lost puffins collected and released by Iceland youth

This is lovely, but couldn’t they just turn off the streetlights during breeding season?

Iceland boy releases a puffin chick. BBC

In a new series, BBC News focuses on aspects of life in countries and cities around the world. What may seem ordinary and familiar to the people who live there, can be surprising to those who don't.

At the same time every year in the Westman Isles, off the coast of Iceland, baby puffins start appearing on the streets - hiding in corners and behind rubbish bins.

It's all because of the street lights which disorientate and confuse the puffins as they begin their annual migration during the night.

And as Simon Hancock discovers, every night during the season hundreds of children gather during the evening to round up the lost puffins - then later, to release them back into the sea.

Close-Up: Iceland's lost puffins

No comments: