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In a first for Cyprus, an Atlantic puffin, a seabird more commonly found in the frigid North Atlantic, was spotted on the island, marking an extraordinary but heartbreaking moment for local birdwatchers and conservationists.
The puffin, identified as a juvenile, was discovered on July 21 by Gürdal Giritli in a lethargic state. Despite efforts to save it, the bird died not long after being found.
Bird enthusiast and nature photographer Huseyin Yorganci immediately alerted the Wildlife Support Line and secured the bird until it was picked up by the Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute.
Initial assessments showed the puffin was severely weakened, possibly due to exhaustion or starvation. Biometric data was collected, and a necropsy is planned to better understand what led to the bird’s death.
This is the first confirmed sighting of an Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) in Cyprus. Until recently, the easternmost record of the species was in Sicily back in 1984. That changed in 2018 when a puffin was spotted in Israel, making this Cyprus discovery the second known case of the species traveling so far from its usual range.
While the sighting is exciting from a scientific point of view, the bird’s condition raises concerns about what might be driving puffins to wander such vast distances.
Whether this is an isolated incident or a sign of changing migratory patterns remains to be seen, but for now, the brief visit of the puffin to Cyprus is a poignant reminder of the shifting challenges facing wildlife across the globe.
*Source: Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute
