Latest news with #seabirds
Telegraph
14-06-2025
- Telegraph
‘I'm paid £25k to live on a remote Scottish island'
Sitting outside her bothy, Lora Constable can see ravens flying overhead and gannets diving into the blue sound. She can hear the quack-like calls of great skuas. 'You step out of the door, and you see all these birds. You're right into nature,' she says. 'There's something really special about that.' Constable, 25, moved to Handa Island, a rugged 760-acre island off Scotland's north west coast, in March this year. A biology graduate from the Welsh town of Tywyn, Gwynedd, she had first come to Handa for six months as a volunteer in 2023. When she saw that the Scottish Wildlife Trust were advertising a six-month paid island ranger role earlier this year, she leapt at the chance to return. 'I'd fallen in love with Scotland,' she says. 'I loved being here.' Besides Constable and a handful of volunteers, Handa is uninhabited. It has no address or postcode. There are no roads, no vehicles, no shops, no buildings – except for a visitor's shelter and the stone bothy that Constable and the volunteers share. There are white sand beaches, rugged heathland and dramatic sandstone cliffs which attract some 80,000 breeding seabirds each year: arctic skuas, razorbills, guillemots, kittiwake, fulmar and the occasional eagle. 'The ranger role is overseeing everything,' says Constable. This includes monitoring the seabird population, which was decimated by bird flu, maintaining the food and gas supplies, managing the other volunteers (four long-term, two short-term), repairing the island's boardwalks, helping visitors (around 140 a day during summer), answering enquiries and fixing any problems. If the toilet breaks or the power supply fails, it is Constable who must find a solution. 'You have to be good at problem solving. If one thing doesn't work, you've got to find something else.' The bothy, says Constable, is 'similar to a youth hostel', with bunk beds, a communal kitchen and lounge area. There are no frills, and no fridge, but it 'has everything you need'. Meals are cooked and eaten together, with rice and pasta dishes high on the menu. Chilled items are kept on the cool stone floor of the pantry. But without a fridge or freezer, some cravings are impossible to satisfy. 'Sometimes, if it's a hot day, I'd love an ice cream,' she says. 'At home, I'd just go down to the shops and get it. But here, if you wish you had something, you can't do anything about it. You've just got to get it whenever the next shop is.' Constable's nearest shop is on the mainland, a ferry ride away, followed by a 15-minute drive – all in, an hour round trip. The staff aim to go food shopping once every fortnight, but this is easier said than done. If there are high winds, bad weather or lingering storms, the boats cannot run. 'There is emergency food on the island in a box stashed away that's only used if you were to completely run out of food and couldn't get off the island,' Constable explains. 'We've not had to use it in my experience. If anything, there's always too much food.' Handa's weather can be fierce. 'When the storms come in, we're hunkered down. You can feel like the wind's going to take you away,' she says. 'Just looking at the swell crashing against the cliffs, and the noise. It's almost like a thunderclap ... It's pretty spectacular.' Given this temperamental weather, Constable has learned to be flexible. If she's scheduled boardwalk repairs or bird monitoring on the cliffs and a storm comes in, those plans must wait. 'We're massively dependent on the weather, and that can be challenging,' she says. 'Sometimes you have plan A and plan B. But here, you're often getting down to plan F.' Handa may be remote, but there is a strong sense of community among the staff who sleep, eat and live together. Most are long-term volunteers who are also pursuing careers in conservation, but others come to Handa to escape their desk jobs and spend time in nature. In the evenings, they'll swim in the sea, go for walks, listen to music, play games and share stories. 'There's nothing here, it's just ourselves,' she says. 'You get people from all walks of life that come here. It's nice to hear about people's lives. Living on an island with that kind of community is lovely.' With little to spend money on, Constable has almost no financial outgoings. Her full-time salary is £25,600, with accommodation included. The volunteers' food is covered under expenses. There is no commute and all her journeys on the island are done on foot. 'I don't spend a lot,' she says. 'I bought a new sleeping bag. That's all I've spent money on, and food.' Her savings, she hopes, will allow her to travel when the season finishes in September. She plans to see more of Scotland and, eventually, to visit friends in New Zealand. Does she miss the hustle and bustle of life on the mainland? 'It's quite nice to be without it. I like remote places,' she says. 'When you come here, you don't hear any vehicles at all. All you hear is the ocean. It's incredibly peaceful. That's something I notice when I go back home, the amount of noise.' Living on Handa has cemented Constable's love for the outdoors. It has shown her that she enjoys living in simple conditions, in tune with the rhythms of the natural environment. 'I think it's set me up for the future. I want to continue living quite basically, even when I'm not on an island,' she says. 'It's taught me that I love being in remote places and really immersing myself in nature. It has so many benefits. I think maybe everyone needs to do a bit of that.'
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Plymouth scientist among two killed in helicopter crash in Alaska
A prominent member of Plymouth's Manomet Conservation Sciences team is among two people killed in a helicopter crash last week in Northern Alaska. Shiloh Schulte was conducting conservation research at the time of the crash. He's known for his work in rebuilding endangered seabird populations along the East Coast. Schulte was also the coordinator for the American Oystercatcher Recovery Program, which helped rebuild the oystercatcher population by 45%. 'Shiloh gave his life in the service of something greater than himself,' said a spokesperson from the Manomet Conservation Sciences team, 'dedicating himself to preserving the natural world for future generations.' According to Must Read Alaska, the pilot also died in the crash. The cause remains under investigation. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Khaleej Times
03-06-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Plastic, crude oil, laundry microfibers top causes of seabird deaths, study finds
Nearly 13 per cent of seabirds found along the country's shores had ingested marine pollutants, including plastic debris, crude oil, tar balls, and even microfibers from laundry waste, a new study revealed. A recent study by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (Epaa) in Sharjah has shed light on the alarming impact of marine pollution on the UAE's coastal wildlife. The study found that over 11 per cent of the examined seabirds had ingested marine debris, while nearly 2 per cent were found with traces of crude oil or tar balls in their digestive systems. The most commonly consumed ingested materials were plastic polymers, especially polyethylene, followed by glass, fishing hooks, and oil residues, all of which pose serious health risks to marine birds. One surprising source of pollution uncovered in the study was laundry wastewater. Researchers found that microfibers — released from synthetic fabrics during washing — accounted for nearly 78 per cent of all detected microplastics in a sub-analysis of 20 birds. This study, published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin, is the first of its kind in the Middle East to systematically examine seabird ingestion of marine debris. Analysing the digestive tracts of 478 dead seabirds from 17 species collected across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, the findings reveal the severe consequences of marine pollution on coastal wildlife, highlighting the urgent need for action to safeguard these vulnerable ecosystems. 'This study lays the scientific foundation for long-term monitoring of marine waste impacts,' said Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, chairperson of Epaa. 'It also highlights the need for urgent, collective action to protect our fragile marine ecosystems.' Among the seabirds most affected by debris ingestion were juvenile large white-headed gulls, which were found to be more susceptible than adults. This highlights the added vulnerability of younger birds and the importance of targeting conservation efforts at all stages of seabird life. The study, conducted under the Sharjah Strandings Response Program, is not only a major scientific milestone but also a catalyst for long-term monitoring of marine pollution. Researchers say the data will help inform evidence-based conservation strategies and support environmental policy development not just in the UAE, but across the Gulf. In 2023, the Epaa successfully released 158 rehabilitated seabirds back into the wild at Al Heera Beach in Sharjah. These birds, rescued from various coastal areas, were thoroughly examined, treated, and rehabilitated by qualified veterinarians. Their successful return to the sea underscores the critical importance of rescue and rehabilitation efforts, working hand-in-hand with scientific research, to protect marine wildlife. 'This is more than a scientific milestone,' Al Suwaidi added. 'It reaffirms Sharjah's position as a regional leader in environmental and biodiversity research, and shows our deep commitment to sustainability and marine life protection.' The timing of the findings could not be more urgent. As the UAE continues to develop its coastline and expand its tourism and shipping sectors, the study serves as a stark reminder of the invisible waste accumulating in our oceans and its deadly consequences for wildlife. In the UAE, there are existing marine protection laws. Under Federal Law No. 24 of 1999, discharging pollutants, such as oil waste, plastic, or hazardous materials, into UAE waters is a criminal offence. Violators face fines of up to Dh1 million, possible imprisonment, and are financially responsible for clean-up operations. The law empowers authorities to take direct action against ships, companies, or individuals whose activities harm marine ecosystems. Coinciding with World Environment Day, the Epaa hopes the study will not only raise awareness about the dangers of marine pollution but also inspire action from the public. Everyday behaviours, such as improperly discarding plastic or neglecting to use laundry filters, can have devastating long-term effects that stretch far beyond the shoreline. 'Each piece of plastic that reaches the ocean could end up in the belly of a bird,' said one marine biologist involved in the study. 'This is about more than seabirds. It's about the health of the entire marine ecosystem — and ultimately, our own.'
CBS News
28-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Rescue video of entangled bird highlights rising toll of fishing gear on South Florida wildlife
A video posted by the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station showing the rescue of a night heron caught in fishing line has drawn more than 13,000 views in less than 24 hours-and renewed attention to the growing impact of fishing-related injuries on native wildlife in South Florida. Rescue captured on video The Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, located near North Bay Village, shared the footage on social media, showing the bird dangling from a tree as volunteers coordinated their rescue plan. "We don't know how long the bird had been there. He was alive. You could see he was alive because he was trying to fly away and release himself," said Marianna Niero, the station's communications manager. Despite their efforts, the night heron did not survive. Niero said such rescues have become almost a daily occurrence at their center off the 79th Street Causeway. Human impact behind most injuries So far in 2025, the station has rescued 1,047 animals. According to the organization, 90 percent of those injuries are caused by human activity-most of them fishing-related. "I can tell you that 70 percent of our seabirds come in with some kind of injury or sickness that is due either to fishing line or a fishing hook. Or something related to fishing," Niero said. Pelicans, seagulls, and night herons are among the most frequent patients. In one case, a bird returned with an orange band on its leg, indicating it had been treated at the facility before. Plea for responsible fishing Niero emphasized the importance of simple actions that could prevent these injuries. "For people who go out and fish to just dispose properly of their fishing gear because it's super dangerous for wildlife," she said. She also noted that South Florida's ongoing development is making matters worse, with habitat loss forcing animals into closer contact with people and urban hazards. "With much of the habitat being dismantled for development, animals get caught in the crosshairs of everyday human life," she said.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Skomer Island puffin numbers hit record high despite global fall
A record number of puffins have been recorded on a small island off the Pembrokeshire coast, despite global populations declining to the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW), 43,626 puffins were counted on Skomer Island this year - a record WTSWW said the increased number of puffins on the nature reserve was a "conservation success story", but warned that the birds were still a species under threat which should continue to be Island, a 2.92km² internationally important seabird island managed by the WTSWW, is located less than a mile from the Pembrokeshire coast. The island's isolation means that it is protected from predators such as rats, cats, dogs and foxes, and also from the human impact on the well as a growing population of puffins, Skomer is also home to 350,000 breeding pairs of manx shearwaters and thousands of guillemots and year, the WTSWW undertakes its annual seabird count on the island to monitor the population of birds that return every spring to puffins are counted during the evening and early in the season by six members of staff. Skomer Island's visitor officer, Rob Knott, said counting the birds was "quite a job"."We split the island into sections and we go round about two hours before sunset when there's the most on the land," he said."We get our clickers out and we count all the ones on the land, then the sea and the ones in the air as well."The last record was set in 2023, when 42,513 puffins were recorded on and around the island. "We think [the counting accuracy] is probably within a few hundred or perhaps a thousand birds," said Rob."Of course, that number is not going to be dead on the right number of puffins that are here, but because we do it in the same way every year and record those birds in the same way, it's always been reported as the final number of that count that we do every year." Although the puffins seem to be thriving in Pembrokeshire, there is a rapid decline many seabird species, puffins are listed as vulnerable to extinction on the global International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, as they face pollution, food shortages and climate to the WTSWW, the growth in Skomer Island's puffin population is "likely linked to the abundance of food in the wider area, meaning there is plenty of fish for chicks resulting in high breeding success".They said the absence of rats and other predators on the island had also contributed to the seabirds' success. 'Cautiously optimistic' Rob said the island's 25,000 visitors each year were often "mind-blown" by the number of warned, however, that there were novel threats facing seabirds - including bird flu and the recent marine heatwave conditions experienced around parts of the UK coastline."I think the monitoring work is absolutely vital, it informs how these seabirds are doing, particularly in this part of Wales but also on a wider scale in terms of how puffin numbers are doing throughout the UK," he said."It helps us look towards policy on how these numbers can increase in the future."They're doing well here, but we can point to this as a good example, there's other places where these numbers are really going down quite rapidly. "We're quite cautiously optimistic about the numbers that we're seeing."They're absolutely iconic birds and the fact that they're on the red list is wrong for so many reasons, not least, because they used to be absolutely thriving, so we're doing what we can to try and improve those numbers."
