The matter in summary • Over 1,000 puffins are believed to have died this year alone, according to biologist and volunteer in Bird Aid, Jan Ingar Båtvik.• Volunteers have worked around the clock to save the endangered bird along the Oslo Fjord.• Many of the birds that have been found have been starved and died, and it is feared that more will die due to lack of food.• The birds do not groom their feathers when they are hungry, which leads to cold water getting on their skin.• Bird enthusiast, Mihaela Margarit, encourages people to get more involved in helping the birds.• There are several places where you can ask for help to save the loons, including Fuglehjelpen or the Facebook group “Crisis help for loons in the Oslofjord”. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – I assume that there are over 1,000 marsupials that have died this year alone. That’s what biologist and volunteer in Bird Help, Jan Ingar Båtvik, says. In recent weeks, he and other volunteers have worked hard to save the endangered bird along the Oslofjord. Over the past ten days, 200 loons have received help from Fuglehjelpen’s reception in Østfold. – We do not have the same working hours as veterinarians and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, we work around the clock. RECEPTION IN ØSTFOLD: Many of the lomvies are transported to a reception in Østfold, where they are fed and cared for before being put out to sea again. Photo: Jan Ingar Båtvik Lomvi The Lomvi is the largest of the conifers. It is 38–43 cm long and weighs 900–1300 grams. The sexes are equal. In summer costume, the lomvi has a brown-black upperside and head, sharply demarcated from the white underside. The beak and legs are grey-black, and the eye black. The beak is relatively long, narrow and pointed. On the sides, the lomvi usually has brown lines in the white. Source: Norwegian Polar Institute Small fish in the fjord The auklet has been observed in several places along the Oslofjord recently. Many of them have been starved and died. HOPE THE WEATHER WILL HELP: Biologist, Jan Ingar Båtvik, hopes that the wind will now turn and help the birds return to areas with food. Photo: Jan Ingar Båtvik Now Båtvik fears that more people will die from lack of food. – With major climate changes and increased fishing, we have seen a lower fish population in the Oslo Fjord. The Lomvies simply cannot get hold of food. The problems don’t stop here either. When the bird suffers, it does not preen its feathers. This causes the springs to leak and cold water to enter the leather. – They can therefore both freeze and starve to death. So it’s pretty bad. – People must care more During a trip with her son last week, bird enthusiast Mihaela Margarit from Sandefjord spotted a loon. – I had realized how bad it was, so I caught the bird with a net. It was very weak and offered no resistance. She got tips on how she could help through the Facebook group “Crisis help for the Lomvies in the Oslofjord”. Nevertheless, the bird died shortly after she had caught it. In retrospect, she and several other volunteers have accompanied a little extra along the coast of Sandefjord. At the weekend, they found large quantities of dead puffins in the harbor in the city centre. She encourages more people from the local community to help: – People need to care more. There is little involvement, but that is perhaps because people are not aware of the crisis. RESCUE ACTION: Mihaela Margarit herself tried to save a loon she found in Sandefjord last week. Photo: Mihaela Margarit Here’s what you can do to help the bird: Catch them Lomvies cannot get off land on their own, so try to catch them either with your hands or a net. Use a cardboard box to transport A cardboard box with something soft in it is the best way to transport the romper. Quiet surroundings If the lomvi is dark, quiet and does not experience sudden movements, it calms down more quickly. Use gloves Use gloves when handling the bird, and always wash your hands well afterwards. Feed Whether you have caught or just observed a puffin on the water, offer it food. If possible with pliers or tweezers. It likes raw, fatty white fish such as herring or mackerel. Ask for help There are several places where you can ask for help, including Fuglehjelpen or “Crisis help for lomvi” in the Oslofjord on Facebook. Lomvi at the bird sanctuary in Østfold. Photo: Jan Ingar Båtvik
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Lomvi alarm in Vestfold – here’s what you can do to help the bird – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
