- Skomer Island, off the Pembrokeshire coast, has recorded an unprecedented 52,019 puffins this year, marking a significant increase from last year's record of 43,626.
- This record count offers a crucial boost for the species, which is designated "vulnerable" to global extinction by the IUCN Red List and is red-listed in the UK.
- The annual census involves conservationists using binoculars to count puffins on land, in the sky, and at sea, employing a consistent method used for over 40 years to ensure data comparability.
- Leighton Newman, Skomer Island warden, expressed pleasant surprise at the thriving population, noting that Skomer bucks the trend of declining puffin numbers at many other UK sites.
- The increase is attributed to an abundance of food, particularly fish for chicks, leading to high breeding success, and the absence of predators like rats on the island.
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