‘Absolutely no need’: People urged not to climb walls at Sumburgh to take puffin photos

PEOPLE are putting themselves and puffins at serious risk by climbing walls at Sumburgh to take nature pictures, an RSPB Shetland warden has said.

Reserves warden Beth Aucott said folk were risking falling down the cliffs, or crushing a seabird, just to get closer to the puffins at Sumburgh.

It comes after RSPB Shetland made a plea on Facebook earlier this week for visitors not to climb over the walls at Sumburgh Head.

The wildlife charity said there was “absolutely no need” for people to risk their lives, or those of breeding puffins, just for a photo.

And it wrote it was “especially unnecessary when the camera lens being used is the size of an adult human leg”.

Aucott said that people climbing the walls at Sumburgh was something they have to deal with year after year.

“If RSPB or Shetland Amenity Trust staff are around we can talk to the offenders, but we are aware it also happens when there are no staff present on site,” she said.

Aucott explained that these were dry stone walls which were not designed to be climbed by people, and said all visitors to Sumburgh should be aware of others.

“They are also putting the seabirds in danger,” the warden said.

“There are numerous burrows on the sea-ward side of the walls that are susceptible to erosion and could collapse under the weight of a person – crushing a bird, or leaving a chick trapped with it’s parent unable to reach it.

“There is also the risk of startling birds off the cliffs, which could cause them to knock eggs or chick’s into the water.”

Aucott added that there were “plenty of areas around Sumburgh to view the seabirds without climbing the walls”.

Spotting puffins is a bucket list item for many visitors to Shetland, with the seabirds typically visible in the isles between April and mid-August.