The Krykkje colony on Ekkerøy in Vadsø is one of Norway’s largest and most important colonies for the endangered gull species. Over 15,000 breeding pairs have stayed here. – We are afraid that the majority of these are dead, says Geir Helge Systad, head of research and ornithologist at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA). Around half of the adult population here has been found dead. He believes that the proportion who have died after this summer’s outbreak of bird flu is much larger. Systad believes that the crutch population is now less than 10 percent of what it was in the 90s, and that the status of the crutch must be changed from “highly threatened” to “critically endangered” in Norway. So far, 15,000 dead crutches have been collected in Vadsø. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news Must reconsider red list status The ornithologist at NINA believes that a large proportion of the dead critters may have been eaten by other species, disappeared at sea or joined the fishing grounds and died there. – They don’t want to be picked up and thus they don’t enter the accounts, says Systad. The krykkja was already a highly endangered species. In 2015, there were officially 87,000 breeding pairs in Norway, but the population has declined sharply since then. Thousands of dead crutches have been picked up from the Storelva in Vadsø during the summer. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news There are several crutch colonies that have been hit hard by bird flu. Also in Hammerfest municipality, over 2,000 crutches have been collected and registered, according to Hammerfestingen. – This leads to the crutch as a species having to be reassessed in relation to its red list status the next time it is done, says Systad. The ornithologist believes the population is below 10 percent of what it was in the 90s. Therefore, the status of the crayfish may have to be changed by the Red List Committee in 2026 from “severely endangered” to “critically endangered”, in Norway. For the colonies on Ekkerøy, only a little hope remains, according to Systad. – The crutches of between one and four years, which are not part of the colony, can potentially return. The little hope that remains now lies with the young bird population. May flare up elsewhere in the country Earlier this summer, news was able to broadcast dramatic images of massive bird deaths in Vadsø. 15,000 dead crutches have been picked up here. According to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, bird flu has recently subsided in Finnmark. – At least we register fewer inquiries here. At the same time, we know that infection has been detected in several places along the coast throughout Norway, says Geir Arne Ystmark, who is regional director of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, region North. – You also have to be prepared that there may be some peaks in some places again. We are prepared for that. Mayor Wenche Pedersen says that it seems that bird flu is over in Vadsø. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn Seems to be over In the last few days, Vadsø municipality has received no new reports of dead birds. – We follow a bit, but it seems that it is now over, says Wenche Pedersen (Ap), mayor of Vadsø municipality. According to Pedersen, a total of 15,243 dead birds have now been picked in the municipality. She is concerned that you should be better prepared for the next time. – We cannot be prepared for everything. We can’t imagine what could happen, but the state must have an apparatus that allows you to intervene and help when the municipalities end up in such situations as we did. Clarification added 13:50. The status of a species changes automatically when more than 90 percent of a species reverts within three generations. Geir Helge Systad believes that this is the case. Bird flu: Unclear whether the Swedes want dead birds from Finnmark
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Fears that the majority of the crutches at one of Norway’s largest colonies are dead – news Troms and Finnmark
