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Written question asked by Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative) on Tuesday, 16 January 2018, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 18 January 2018. It was answered by Baroness Coffey (Conservative) on Tuesday, 23 January 2018 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.


Puffins

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department had made of the (a) reasons for and (b) extent of the decline in the puffin population.

Answer

The latest population trends indicate a decline in the population of UK puffins. UK-scale accurate trends in the puffin breeding population will, however, not be known until a new census of the UK’s breeding seabird populations is completed. Work on the breeding seabird census 2015-2019 is underway.

Declines in puffin breeding populations are thought to be due to a combination of factors, including climate change related food shortages and unfavourable weather conditions during the breeding season.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
123124
Session
2017-19
Subjects
Puffins
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk