Highlands and Islands MSP Jean Urquhart today hailed the birth of a puffin chick live on camera at RPSB Sumburgh Head Reserve for highlighting the diversity of Shetland’s wildlife.
The new chick hatched at 15:36pm on Tuesday 12th June, five and a half hours after a hole appeared in the egg. During this time, the imminent birth of the puffin chick was picked up on Twitter, resulting in 5,000 people worldwide tuning into “Puffincam”, part of the ‘Date With Nature’ project ran between RSPB Scotland and Promote Shetland, to watch.
Commenting on the publicity given to the birth, Jean Urquhart said:
“The interactive approach taken by RSPB Scotland and Promote Shetland to promoting Shetland’s wildlife across the world is very welcome. By broadcasting the birth of the puffin chick online and utilising social media, a global audience was able to appreciate the variety of wildlife that thrives on the Shetland Islands.
“Hopefully, projects such as Puffincam and Cliffcam, which provides views of the other seabird colonies present on the Shetland Islands such as fulmars and guillemots, will encourage even more visitors to one of Scotland’s most unique visitor destinations.”
Jean Urquhart 