We’re getting excited for spring and looking forward to a return of the Puffins to Seal Island, Maine! A little history to get you warmed up:
The National Audubon Society started Project Puffin in 1973 in an effort to learn how to restore puffins to historic nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine. At that time, literally all the puffin eggs in Maine were in two baskets – Matinicus Rock and Machias Seal Island. Although puffins are not an endangered species (they are abundant in Newfoundland, Iceland, and Britain), they are rare in Maine. The two surviving colonies were very vulnerable to a disaster such as an oil spill, or accidental establishment of predators such as rats or mink.
Between 1984 and 1989, 950 puffin chicks were transplanted from Great Island Newfoundland, to Seal Island and 912 of these fledged. Seven pairs returned to nest in 1992 – eight years after the project began. The colony has rapidly increased to 336 pairs by 2006.
As of 2013, there are now about 1,000 pairs of puffins nesting on five Maine islands! Read more at Audubon.
