PORTLAND, Maine — Two high-definition cameras began streaming live video Wednesday of clown-like Atlantic puffins waddling, preening and nesting on a remote Maine island.
The National Audubon Society and teamed up to stream video from Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge to anyone with an Internet connection. Located about 20 miles offshore, the island has the largest puffin colony in the U.S.
The video marks the first time that high-definition cameras have been used in North America to stream video of Atlantic puffins, said Steve Kress, director of Audubon’s seabird restoration program.
The goal is to engage the public and spur interest in seabird restoration, he said.
“About a third of all seabird species in the world are threatened with extinction,” Kress said. “It’s the most troubled group of birds in the world. “
