Puffins and People
Balancing tradition and conservation in Iceland
Call of the Wild
Between eight and ten million puffins breed in Iceland each year — the largest population in the world . They are amazing little birds : They can fly up to 50 miles an hour , dive down to 200 feet , and carry 10 sea eels at a time in their colorful beaks . They are monogamous , and return to the same mate each year after many months apart at sea . They are also undeniably adorable . So when visitors first see puffin on restaurant menus in Reykjavik , many are surprised . How can we hunt these beloved creatures ?
In Iceland , the resourcefulness of our people can be summed up with one word : hvalreki , which means “ a drifting whale .” If a whale dies and drifts to shore , the meat could feed your family and community for a whole winter . We use this word when something good unexpectedly comes our way .
When you live in a cold climate with limited resources , you make use of everything available to you . In the Westman Islands , this includes puffins . Of the 15 islands in this archipelago , only one — Heimaey — is inhabited by humans . The rest , at least for part of the year , are puffin territory . Each April , an estimated 1.1 million pairs of puffins arrive to nest on the islands ’ rocky cliffs , and remain here until the chicks ( called “ pufflings ”) have fledged in late August .
On each island , men from Heimaey have built a single wooden hunting lodge — no small feat among these steep , rocky cliffs . Since the age of the Vikings , people relied on hunting seabirds to survive . Today , the tradition lives on as part of the local cultural identity . Historically , the birds have been incredibly abundant , so the hunt posed no threat to conservation .
This , however , is changing — and the tradition is changing with it . Puffin numbers in the Westman Islands have been dropping , with rising ocean temperatures forcing their primary food sources further and further north in search of colder waters . This has prompted the government to severely restrict the length of the hunting season and the number of birds that can be taken . Some hunters , out of respect for nature , have chosen to skip the hunt altogether . Those who do choose to hunt can only do so at the end of August , when the pufflings have already left the nest . This ensures no chicks become orphans with little chance of survival .
Perhaps our true appreciation for puffins is demonstrated by another longstanding Heimaey tradition . During fledging season , pufflings sometimes confuse the city lights for stars , and find themselves stranded in town rather than out at sea . Each night , volunteers set out with cardboard boxes to collect the birds and bring them to a research center for examination . Once deemed healthy , they are released on their journey . This is one of my favorite activities to share with my O . A . T . travelers in August .
When you visit us in Iceland , don ’ t feel conflicted if you ’ re interested in tasting puffin meat ( it ’ s a bit gamey , so I recommend it smoked or cured ). While we love our traditions , including hunting , we take great care to respect the balance of nature , and to preserve our precious resources for generations to come .
By Loftur Eiriksson , O . A . T . Trip
Experience Leader , Untamed Iceland
Right : Loftur captured puffins midflight on one of many excursions to the Westman Islands .
ReelEarth : The Iceland Puffin Patrol
Discover how Icelandic children formed a patrol team to protect their local colony of puffins .
Watch Film
See Iceland ’ s largest puffin colony during the optional Westman Islands pre-trip extension to Untamed Iceland .
Learn More
DISPATCHES • AUGUST 2022 19