Only 12 per cent of puffin chicks born on Machias Seal Island this year made it to six weeks old. An Atlantic puffin chick - still covered in down - is held by a researcher on Machias Seal Island. Machias Seal Island sits 15 kilometres off the coast of Grand Manan in the Gulf of Maine. Another reason Diamond says the puffin population on the island seems to be more affected than other near by puffin colonies. With almost equally bad survival rates on Machias Seal Island in 2013, when only 15 per cent of chicks fledged — and smaller, lighter chicks overall — he says these numbers could prove detrimental to the species.

Source: CBC News August 24, 2016 20:37 UTC