The Mediterranean’s Balearic Shearwater: is it being properly looked after?

Daniel Oro and Tim Guilford have published a letter in the journal Science arguing that more needs to be done to conserve the ACAP-listed and Critically Endangered Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus.

The species breeds only on Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Western Mediterranean, its non-breeding distribution extends into the North Atlantic. It is at risk from fisheries bycatch, predators and disturbance at breeding sites and fall out from artificial lighting. The letter considers that the European Commission should help Spain conserve its endemic seabird.

Balearic Shearwater at its breeding site, photograph by Miguel McMinn

Reference:

Oro. D. & Guilford, T. 2017. EU can help Spain’s endangered seabird. Science 358: 1262.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 14 December 2017