A survey of puffins on the internationally important Farne Islands has shown a drop in numbers of almost a quarter.

The National Trust which looks after the islands off the Northumberland coast said the long-term trend needed to be monitored and cautioned against interpreting it as a sudden population decline.

The number of breeding pairs recorded in the survey fell from 50,103 in 2024 to 38,500 this year, a drop of 23%.

Ben McCarthy, head of nature conservation at the National Trust said: “Counting puffins is a notoriously complex task.

“There is no single perfect method, and annual variations in survey conditions, puffin behaviour, and environmental factors all influence the count.

“While the decline in numbers is concerning, it’s important to view this year’s results within the bro

See Full Page