'Animal,' Episode 2: Puffins
13Digest
Sam Anderson, a writer for The New York Times Magazine, embarks on a journey to a remote island in Iceland to witness the annual puffling season. This unique phenomenon occurs when baby puffins, known as pufflings, leave their burrows and attempt to fly to the ocean, often getting disoriented and landing on land instead. The island's residents, particularly a family named Svava, Triste, and Ziggy, have a tradition of rescuing these confused pufflings and releasing them back to the sea. Anderson joins Triste and his friend Arnar in their search for pufflings, experiencing the challenges and rewards of this heartwarming tradition. They encounter a puffling that has fallen from the sky and is unable to fly, and Anderson helps Triste release it back to the ocean. Anderson also meets Dr. Hansen, a scientist who studies puffins and shares his concerns about the impact of climate change on the puffling population. The episode concludes with Anderson reflecting on the experience of letting go, both in terms of the pufflings and his own daughter's upcoming departure for college.
Outlines
Introduction
This Chapter introduces the episode and its focus on puffins. It mentions a new series from NYT Audio called "Animal" and highlights the work of Sam Anderson, who traveled the world to encounter animals. The episode specifically focuses on puffins and their unique behavior during puffling season.
Journey to Vestmannaeyjar
This Chapter details Sam Anderson's journey to Vestmannaeyjar, a remote island in Iceland known for its large puffin colony. He describes the island's unique landscape and the welcoming family he meets there, who invite him for dinner. The chapter also introduces the concept of puffling season and the tradition of rescuing baby puffins that fall from the sky.
Puffling Rescue
This Chapter follows Sam Anderson and his companions, Triste and Arnar, as they embark on a nighttime search for pufflings. They drive around the island, looking for signs of the birds, and eventually find a puffling that has landed on the ground. They carefully capture the bird and prepare to release it back to the sea.
Releasing the Puffling
This Chapter focuses on the process of releasing the rescued puffling back to the ocean. Anderson describes the technique used to release the bird and the challenges of ensuring its survival. He also shares his feelings of excitement and trepidation as he watches the puffling fly away.
Meeting Dr. Hansen
This Chapter introduces Dr. Hansen, a scientist who studies puffins and has been tracking the puffling population in Vestmannaeyjar for over a decade. Anderson and his companions meet Dr. Hansen at the Puffin Rescue Center, where they hand over the rescued puffling. Dr. Hansen shares his concerns about the impact of climate change on the puffling population and the challenges they face in finding enough food.
Farewell and Reflections
This Chapter concludes the episode with Anderson saying goodbye to the family he met on the island. He reflects on the experience of letting go, both in terms of the pufflings and his own daughter's upcoming departure for college. The chapter ends with Anderson releasing the last puffling he rescued back to the sea as he leaves the island.
Keywords
Puffin
A small, black and white seabird with a distinctive colorful beak. Puffins are known for their ability to swim and fly, and for carrying large numbers of fish in their beaks. They are found in the North Atlantic Ocean and are a popular tourist attraction in Iceland.
Puffling
A baby puffin. Pufflings are born in burrows on cliffs and spend their first few months of life being fed by their parents. When they are ready to fly, they leave their burrows and attempt to fly to the ocean, often getting disoriented and landing on land instead. This is known as puffling season.
Vestmannaeyjar
A small island off the south coast of Iceland. Vestmannaeyjar is known for its large puffin colony and its unique landscape, which includes a volcano and a harbor. The island is also home to a small fishing village and a number of families who have a tradition of rescuing pufflings.
Iceland
A Nordic island nation located in the North Atlantic Ocean. Iceland is known for its dramatic landscapes, including glaciers, volcanoes, and waterfalls. It is also home to a rich culture and history, and is a popular tourist destination.
Climate Change
A long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth's local, regional and global climates. These changes have a broad range of observed effects that are synonymous with the term. The term is most commonly used to describe the current warming of Earth's climate system observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth's atmosphere.
Dr. Hansen
A scientist who studies puffins and has been tracking the puffling population in Vestmannaeyjar for over a decade. Dr. Hansen is concerned about the impact of climate change on the puffling population and the challenges they face in finding enough food.
Letting Go
The act of releasing something or someone, often with a sense of sadness or loss. In the context of the episode, letting go refers to the act of releasing the pufflings back to the sea, as well as the experience of watching one's children grow up and leave home.
Q&A
What is puffling season and why is it significant?
Puffling season is the time of year when baby puffins, known as pufflings, leave their burrows and attempt to fly to the ocean. This is a critical time for the pufflings, as they are often disoriented and land on land instead of the sea. The island's residents have a tradition of rescuing these confused pufflings and releasing them back to the sea.
What are some of the challenges that pufflings face during puffling season?
Pufflings face a number of challenges during puffling season, including getting disoriented and landing on land instead of the sea, being preyed upon by predators, and being unable to fly back to the ocean. Climate change is also impacting the puffling population, as it is making it harder for them to find enough food.
How do the residents of Vestmannaeyjar help the pufflings?
The residents of Vestmannaeyjar have a tradition of rescuing pufflings that have fallen from the sky and releasing them back to the sea. They do this by searching for the birds at night and carefully capturing them. They then release the birds back to the ocean, often from a cliff or a boat.
What is the impact of climate change on the puffling population?
Climate change is impacting the puffling population by making it harder for them to find enough food. The changing sea temperatures and ocean currents are reducing the number of fish available for pufflings to eat. This is making it harder for puffling parents to feed their babies, and some babies are not surviving.
What is the significance of letting go in the episode?
Letting go is a recurring theme in the episode, both in terms of the pufflings and Anderson's own daughter's upcoming departure for college. The act of releasing the pufflings back to the sea is a metaphor for letting go of one's children and allowing them to live their own lives. It is also a reminder that we cannot control everything in life and that sometimes we have to trust in the natural order of things.
Show Notes
In a broken world, what can we gain by looking another animal in the eye? "Animal" is a six-part, round-the-world journey in search of an answer. In Episode 2, the writer Sam Anderson travels to Iceland to rescue baby puffins — which are called, adorably, pufflings.
For more on "Animal," visit nytimes.com/animal.
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This is too cute! 🥹
pathetic and depressing.. unsubscribe