More than 30 seabirds have mysteriously vanished from Jersey’s north coast, according to the conservation group Birds on the Edge (BOTE). Among the missing are a pair of puffins, eight razorbills, and over 20 fulmars from the headland near Plemont.
In 2023, BOTE launched a campaign to establish Europe’s first predator-proof seabird reserve, aiming to restore coastal habitats and safeguard wildlife with a specially designed one-mile (1.6 km) fence. Cris Sellares, the BOTE project officer, suspects predators like rats and ferrets are responsible for the disappearances due to their easy access to the headland’s slope.
Sellares explained, “If some birds from different parts of a colony go missing, they may have perished in winter or storms. However, the fact that all the missing birds are from the same location suggests a localised issue.”
Despite this setback, Sellares noted that other seabird populations in Jersey, including razorbills, puffins, gulls, and fulmars, are thriving. She mentioned that these birds are likely “nesting and tending to their chicks, feeding them sand eels.”
She expressed optimism for the future, saying, “Hopefully, the chicks will fledge successfully, and the birds will return next year.”
The group also reported that three remaining puffin pairs have successfully raised chicks, keeping hope alive for the return of the missing seabirds next year.