30-Year-Old Puffin Stuns Scottish Rescue Team

When Paul Reynolds checked the leg ring on a weak puffin brought to his Scottish rescue center, he never expected the bird's story to stretch back to his own childhood.

The Atlantic puffin arrived at New Arc Wildlife Rescue near Ellon in January, found struggling on Balmedie beach after severe winter weather. Reynolds, 38, submitted the ring number to the British Trust for Ornithology to track the bird's history.

The results stunned him. The puffin was first tagged on May 11, 1995, making it at least 33 years old when it washed ashore.

"I was a child when this puffin was first ringed," Reynolds said. "I had no inkling our paths would cross all these years later."

The bird became the oldest Atlantic puffin ever admitted to the center. For three decades, it survived countless ocean storms, returning to Scottish cliffs each breeding season before heading back out to sea.

Reynolds and his partner Morgane Ristic, 28, have run the charity for three years, caring for hundreds of Scottish animals annually. This winter brought an unusual challenge: 12 puffins needed rescue since January, compared to zero last year out of 2,800 wildlife patients.

Turbulent winter tides made hunting nearly impossible for the seabirds. Thousands more washed up on beaches across France, Spain, and Portugal as European puffin populations faced severe weather impacts.

The rescued puffins require specialized care that's incredibly tricky. They live at sea and lose their natural waterproofing when weak, so the team must warm them under heat lamps without towels that could damage feathers.

Feeding presents another challenge. Puffins deliver powerful bites and clamp down hard, requiring staff to wear protective gear while using tweezers to offer sand eels and sprats in salt water.

Sunny's Take

The 33-year-old puffin sadly passed away its first night at the center, too weak to recover. But its story resonated deeply with the local community, who continue asking for updates on the other rescued birds.

Several puffins have successfully been rehabilitated and returned to the ocean. Each recovery brings hope that these resilient seabirds can weather the changing conditions they face.

"Their story is a powerful reminder that no bird is just a bird," Reynolds said. "Each one carries a lifetime of journeys we rarely see."

The team continues their work, honoring the remarkable puffin's three decades at sea by giving other seabirds fighting chances at survival.