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Tracking puffins at dawn in Alaska

Published: 4 December 2024

Collecting data on tufted puffins thanks to the Vivian Lewin and BELF Awards

In the eerie stillness of a misty Alaskan dawn, Cassandra Ciafro was already on the move by 3 a.m. Clad in camouflage, she melded seamlessly with the rugged cliffs, joining the seabirds in their lofty perches. Her mission? To deploy trackers and observe deitary patterns of the tufted puffin, a key indicator of the region’s fish stocks.

“I’ve always wanted to work with something related to marine science,” said Ciafro. “This experience has helped me grow so much as a person.”

Focusing on biodiversity and conservation, Ciafro, a fourth-year student, embarked on a summer honors project which took her to Middleton Island, Alaska. This project, under the guidance of Professor Kyle Elliott from SM’s Natural Resource Department along with co-supervisor Katelyn Depot (MSc), focused on the foraging ecology of tufted puffins.

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