London: A new study has warned that several species of seabirds living around the British Isles are on the brink of extinction.
Recent research led by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has shown that a large proportion of seabird species in the UK and Ireland may face long-term impacts from climate change.
The study estimates that if the Earth’s temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius by 2050, the number of puffins, fulmars and arctic terns could decrease by 70 percent compared to the beginning of this century.
The findings, published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series, show that certain species of seabirds, such as terns, oxen and petrels, are at greater risk than commoner and more adaptable bird species such as gulls. .
According to the team, some birds may settle in new areas in the UK and Ireland. However, conservationists have warned that this will not reverse the decline of the birds in their current breeding areas.
While each bird species copes with different aspects of sea and land weather in its own way, seabirds are generally less visible when air temperatures rise during the breeding season, the study found.
It should be noted that the number of several species including puffin, fulmar and arctic tern has decreased significantly during the last two years due to avian flu.
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