First ever Atlantic puffin found in Cyprus, dies

An Atlantic puffin was found in Cyprus for the first time in recorded history on Monday, but died shortly after being found.

The bird was reportedly found in a “lethargic state” by a member of the public, before the Cyprus wildlife research institute was contacted.

The institute said that initial examinations of the bird showed that it was “juvenile” and “in a weak body condition”.

It is set to undergo a necropsy on Tuesday to determine the cause of its death, with the institute saying that “biometric data” will also be collected.

The Atlantic puffin, as the name suggests, is typically found in and around the Atlantic Ocean. They are known to venture as far south as Morocco and as far north as Svalbard, while also reaching the continental United States and Canada and much of Europe’s Atlantic coast.

They typically grow to around 30cm in length and are recognisable by their boldly marked read and black beaks and orange legs.

The Cyprus wildlife research institute said on Tuesday that one Atlantic puffin had been discovered in Israel in 2018, but that before that, none had been observed east of Sicily, where they were last seen in 1984.