Puffins Battered: Cornwall Coast Sees Alarming Stranding

Puffins have been washing ashore on Cornwall's south coast, exhausted and weakened by recent severe storms. The Cornwall Wildlife Trust's Marine Strandings Network reported 14 puffins found in February, a stark increase compared to just two in 2025 and 15 in all of 2024. Beaches from the Roseland peninsula to Porthleven have seen these affected birds.

Rehabilitators are caring for some of the puffins, noting they were severely battered and unable to eat. While some have sadly died, others are responding to care, being hand-fed and kept warm until their feathers are properly waterproofed and they reach a healthy weight. This event is the most significant puffin stranding recorded since 2014, a year also marked by exceptionally stormy weather and a high number of strandings.

Experts explain that rough seas hinder puffins' ability to forage effectively, as they rely on clear water for hunting. For those finding stranded birds, advice is to safely box them and contact a local vet. Dead wild birds should be reported to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.