Iceland Puffins | National Geographic

on a rocky beach in Iceland two

on a rocky beach in Iceland two youngsters are on a mission of mercy

inside their cardboard box they have two

inside their cardboard box they have two orphans fledglings plucked from the

orphans fledglings plucked from the

orphans fledglings plucked from the streets of town baby puffins the

streets of town baby puffins the

streets of town baby puffins the children of Jemez have been saving young

children of Jemez have been saving young

children of Jemez have been saving young puffins called couplings for generations

puffins called couplings for generations

puffins called couplings for generations in fact at the end of the summer

in fact at the end of the summer

in fact at the end of the summer releasing them by the hundreds to the

releasing them by the hundreds to the

releasing them by the hundreds to the safety of the sea has become a local

safety of the sea has become a local

safety of the sea has become a local tradition

tradition

tradition [Music]

[Music]

[Music] you have to save the birds well if you

you have to save the birds well if you

you have to save the birds well if you don’t deal with a die they find it very

don’t deal with a die they find it very

don’t deal with a die they find it very exciting exciting obviously for the kids

exciting exciting obviously for the kids

exciting exciting obviously for the kids you get to throw live birds into the air

you get to throw live birds into the air

you get to throw live birds into the air and watch them fly away but no doubt

and watch them fly away but no doubt

and watch them fly away but no doubt it’s a little nerve-wracking for the

it’s a little nerve-wracking for the

it’s a little nerve-wracking for the recently born puffins the problem for

recently born puffins the problem for

recently born puffins the problem for the public is that when they are old

the public is that when they are old

the public is that when they are old enough they leave their burrows in the

enough they leave their burrows in the

enough they leave their burrows in the clips and head out to sea but the lights

clips and head out to sea but the lights

clips and head out to sea but the lights of the town use them instead of flying

of the town use them instead of flying

of the town use them instead of flying out to sea they fly into town where they

out to sea they fly into town where they

out to sea they fly into town where they crash land and end up on the streets

crash land and end up on the streets

crash land and end up on the streets that’s where the puffing patrols come in

that’s where the puffing patrols come in

that’s where the puffing patrols come in each night during the month of August

each night during the month of August

each night during the month of August moms and dads the troops of kids in town

moms and dads the troops of kids in town

moms and dads the troops of kids in town will pay for wayward cufflinks they use

will pay for wayward cufflinks they use

will pay for wayward cufflinks they use flashlights to search the ground near

flashlights to search the ground near

flashlights to search the ground near buildings and streetlights

buildings and streetlights

buildings and streetlights the pier is a particularly popular place

when a bird spotted the kids rushed to

when a bird spotted the kids rushed to scoop it up and bring it in off the mean

scoop it up and bring it in off the mean

scoop it up and bring it in off the mean streets of hamate for the night

streets of hamate for the night

streets of hamate for the night [Music]

[Music]

[Music] it’s hard work the following day all the

it’s hard work the following day all the

it’s hard work the following day all the birds that landed in friendly hands are

birds that landed in friendly hands are

birds that landed in friendly hands are transported to the seashore pointed in

transported to the seashore pointed in

transported to the seashore pointed in the right direction and given their

the right direction and given their

the right direction and given their flying orders the kids seem to be having

flying orders the kids seem to be having

flying orders the kids seem to be having a great time apparently there is a

a great time apparently there is a

a great time apparently there is a proper way to release the puff wings

proper way to release the puff wings

proper way to release the puff wings first the proper grip then the right

first the proper grip then the right

first the proper grip then the right technique with his wings free and

technique with his wings free and

technique with his wings free and flapping the ideas to your arm like

flapping the ideas to your arm like

flapping the ideas to your arm like a quarterback and throw a short pass

a quarterback and throw a short pass

a quarterback and throw a short pass whether they swim to safety or fly off

whether they swim to safety or fly off

whether they swim to safety or fly off over the North Atlantic one wonders what

over the North Atlantic one wonders what

over the North Atlantic one wonders what kind of impact all this has on the

kind of impact all this has on the

kind of impact all this has on the species as a whole the world’s largest

species as a whole the world’s largest

species as a whole the world’s largest Atlantic puffin colonies are found in

Atlantic puffin colonies are found in

Atlantic puffin colonies are found in Iceland containing some eight to ten

Iceland containing some eight to ten

Iceland containing some eight to ten million birds they’re still flourishing

million birds they’re still flourishing

million birds they’re still flourishing with a little help from some strong arms

with a little help from some strong arms

with a little help from some strong arms and big hearts

and big hearts

and big hearts [Music]