Guillemots: LIVE!

Posted on 02 July 2019

Swedish researchers supported by WWF have launched a citizen science project to learn more about the life of the common guillemot – known to many as the "penguin of the Baltic".

People from around the world are invited to view the live stream - broadcasting footage from cameras mounted at Stora Karlsö island - and contribute to the project by posting observations to the research team.

Guillemots at Stora Karlsö Sweden. Photo: Metta Wiese WWF SwedenOver the next few weeks viewers following the broadcast can expect to see the chicks jump from the 40 metres high cliffs to the beach below – without even being able to fly! 

More than a thousand interested viewers have posted observations, from egg laying to hatching.

The story of the common guillemots in Sweden is a positive one, as numbers continue to increase.

Decades ago, things were very different. Environmental toxins, oil spills and drift net fishing were taking a heavy toll on bird populations. Today, however, there are around 85,000 guillemots in the Baltic Sea. 

Jonas Hentati Sundberg, researcher at the Baltic Seabird Project, said: “We are pleased that people can now get a direct insight into the world of the guillemots and post their observations. It will push research to new levels of understanding.”

Visit the project, and contribute with your observations at: https://www.wwf.se/english/baltic-guillemots-live-stream/