Watch puffins grow up live

As in previous years, the public will be given a close-up view of puffin life on the island of Skúvoy.

Since 2005, the Faroe Marine Research Institute has been monitoring puffins’ nesting holes to gain a better understanding of the puffin population on the island.

This year, 16 nests have been fitted with cameras connected to a computer which will be streaming live online.

Footage over the years has revealed that in 2010 and 2011 the puffins abandoned their eggs, resulting in no offspring.

2012 saw six young puffins; however, five of them died within a few days, leaving only one fully-fledged puffin.

In 2013, four young puffins were born, and one of them fledged.

Since 2014, all young puffins have fledged.

An estimated two million pairs of sea birds nest in the Faroe Islands.

The cameras do not only provide an insight into puffin life. Since the birds’ food comes from the sea, monitoring sea birds gives the Faroe Marine Research Institute a useful overview of the general ocean environment.

See the footage here

Translated by prosa.fo