First ‘puffling’ sighting in three decades give hope for Dorset's struggling puffin colony – video

A rare glimpse of a young puffin emerging from its nest has given conservationists fresh hope for the future of Dorset’s dwindling puffin population. The ‘puffling’ was spotted by volunteers working with the National Trust, who renewed their monitoring efforts at the site in March 2026 to understand why mainland England’s last breeding colony on the south coast was failing to produce chicks. It is the first time in 30 years a puffling sighting has been confirmed at the colony.

• ‘A great thrill’: baby puffin is first one seen on Dorset coast in three decades