on a sunny summer day Iceland’s Westman Islands seemed a vision of serenity
Islands seemed a vision of serenity
Islands seemed a vision of serenity but despite the Placid appearance this
but despite the Placid appearance this
but despite the Placid appearance this is in fact one of the most volatile
is in fact one of the most volatile
is in fact one of the most volatile places on earth
places on earth
places on earth volcanic activity runs rampant in
volcanic activity runs rampant in
volcanic activity runs rampant in Iceland earthquakes and eruptions occur
Iceland earthquakes and eruptions occur
Iceland earthquakes and eruptions occur frequently and the land above and below
frequently and the land above and below
frequently and the land above and below the sea is in a constant state of flux
the landscape is not the only thing
the landscape is not the only thing changing in the Westman Islands
something mysterious is happening to one
something mysterious is happening to one of the islands best-loved inhabitants
of the islands best-loved inhabitants
of the islands best-loved inhabitants the Atlantic puffin and the puffins have
the Atlantic puffin and the puffins have
the Atlantic puffin and the puffins have actually been dying they’ve found them
actually been dying they’ve found them
actually been dying they’ve found them next to the holes and they feel that
next to the holes and they feel that
next to the holes and they feel that they’ve been starving but their loss
they’ve been starving but their loss
they’ve been starving but their loss will be a blow for their neighbors the
will be a blow for their neighbors the
will be a blow for their neighbors the people of Jemez puffins plays a huge
people of Jemez puffins plays a huge
people of Jemez puffins plays a huge role in the culture of this society it
role in the culture of this society it
role in the culture of this society it has a place in the heart of everybody so
has a place in the heart of everybody so
has a place in the heart of everybody so it is sort of important that hopefully
it is sort of important that hopefully
it is sort of important that hopefully things improve throughout history birds
things improve throughout history birds
things improve throughout history birds have been abundant here the high grassy
have been abundant here the high grassy
have been abundant here the high grassy peaks provide ideal nesting grounds and
peaks provide ideal nesting grounds and
peaks provide ideal nesting grounds and the Seas have offered up a steady supply
the Seas have offered up a steady supply
the Seas have offered up a steady supply of fish from year to year it’s been the
of fish from year to year it’s been the
of fish from year to year it’s been the almost ideal spot for Atlantic puffins
almost ideal spot for Atlantic puffins
almost ideal spot for Atlantic puffins and over time they’ve become tied to
and over time they’ve become tied to
and over time they’ve become tied to this place
this is one of the world’s largest
this is one of the world’s largest colonies with an estimated 1.3 million
colonies with an estimated 1.3 million
colonies with an estimated 1.3 million nesting pairs they spend most of the
nesting pairs they spend most of the
nesting pairs they spend most of the year at sea returning to land in the
year at sea returning to land in the
year at sea returning to land in the spring to rear a single chick but for
spring to rear a single chick but for
spring to rear a single chick but for the past three years something has gone
the past three years something has gone
the past three years something has gone wrong almost none of the puffins are
wrong almost none of the puffins are
wrong almost none of the puffins are breeding researchers say they think they
breeding researchers say they think they
breeding researchers say they think they know the root of the problem historical
know the root of the problem historical
know the root of the problem historical catch records indicate a severe decline
catch records indicate a severe decline
catch records indicate a severe decline in the puffins favorite food
in the puffins favorite food
in the puffins favorite food a small nutritious fish known as the
a small nutritious fish known as the
a small nutritious fish known as the sand Lance but for the last three years
sand Lance but for the last three years
sand Lance but for the last three years it’s been scarce in areas where it used
it’s been scarce in areas where it used
it’s been scarce in areas where it used to be abundant the fish is also shown up
to be abundant the fish is also shown up
to be abundant the fish is also shown up late in the puffins breeding season
late in the puffins breeding season
late in the puffins breeding season puffins are not the only birds that may
puffins are not the only birds that may
puffins are not the only birds that may be affected by the loss of the sand
be affected by the loss of the sand
be affected by the loss of the sand plants other Icelandic seabirds have
plants other Icelandic seabirds have
plants other Icelandic seabirds have also had breeding problems for the same
also had breeding problems for the same
also had breeding problems for the same three-year period it was kind of sad to
three-year period it was kind of sad to
three-year period it was kind of sad to experience a third year in a row of of
experience a third year in a row of of
experience a third year in a row of of total breeding failure or close to that
total breeding failure or close to that
total breeding failure or close to that one wonders if that’s going to continue
ecologist air / handsome has observed
ecologist air / handsome has observed that some birds travel great distances
that some birds travel great distances
that some birds travel great distances to find food
to find food
to find food many have opted not to reproduce and
many have opted not to reproduce and
many have opted not to reproduce and those that did reproduce held off until
those that did reproduce held off until
those that did reproduce held off until very late in the season perhaps waiting
very late in the season perhaps waiting
very late in the season perhaps waiting for feeding conditions to improve in
for feeding conditions to improve in
for feeding conditions to improve in desperation some breeding birds have
desperation some breeding birds have
desperation some breeding birds have attempted to feed their offspring other
attempted to feed their offspring other
attempted to feed their offspring other types of fish that the youngsters can’t
types of fish that the youngsters can’t
types of fish that the youngsters can’t manage the sand
manage the sand
manage the sand Celie the tiny little fish that the
Celie the tiny little fish that the
Celie the tiny little fish that the puffins are used to eating hasn’t been
puffins are used to eating hasn’t been
puffins are used to eating hasn’t been available they’ve seen puffins parents
available they’ve seen puffins parents
available they’ve seen puffins parents come in with large herring but the
come in with large herring but the
come in with large herring but the little babies can’t swallow that so they
little babies can’t swallow that so they
little babies can’t swallow that so they can’t eat that the researchers believe
can’t eat that the researchers believe
can’t eat that the researchers believe the loss of the sand lance may be linked
the loss of the sand lance may be linked
the loss of the sand lance may be linked with climate change in Iceland ocean
with climate change in Iceland ocean
with climate change in Iceland ocean temperatures have increased by three
temperatures have increased by three
temperatures have increased by three point six degrees Fahrenheit in the past
point six degrees Fahrenheit in the past
point six degrees Fahrenheit in the past two decades these puffins are not the
two decades these puffins are not the
two decades these puffins are not the only ones to be affected by global
only ones to be affected by global
only ones to be affected by global warming the researchers say this colony
warming the researchers say this colony
warming the researchers say this colony is critical since it’s one of the
is critical since it’s one of the
is critical since it’s one of the largest in the world it’s true birds
largest in the world it’s true birds
largest in the world it’s true birds have one unique advantage over other
have one unique advantage over other
have one unique advantage over other species faced with changing surroundings
species faced with changing surroundings
species faced with changing surroundings they can fly away
these puffins may do so seeking out new
these puffins may do so seeking out new nesting grounds if the food supply and
nesting grounds if the food supply and
nesting grounds if the food supply and Iceland continues to decline
changing temperatures are creating
changing temperatures are creating turmoil and nature across the globe but
turmoil and nature across the globe but
turmoil and nature across the globe but for the Westman Islands where puffins
for the Westman Islands where puffins
for the Westman Islands where puffins have reigned supreme the changes are
have reigned supreme the changes are
have reigned supreme the changes are hitting close to home
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