Edward makes crowdfunding appeal for puffin book
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WRITER and puffin fan Edward Hancox is releasing a book celebrating the enigmatic seabird which is now classed as endangered.
With the title Every Last Puffin, the project is based on visits to UK puffin colonies including the Northern Isles and Caithness.
Edward (39), from Shropshire, is crowdfunding his book via Kickstarter. He got the idea while rescuing puffin chicks, known as pufflings, on the Icelandic island of Heimaey.
He said: "Heimaey is famous for its puffins, but after hatching they often get confused by street lights in the town. Local children collect disoriented pufflings in cardboard boxes before releasing them safely out to sea."
Although there are an estimated 450,000 puffins in the UK, they are on the "red list" due to their population decline.
Edward has visited locations from the Isles of Scilly to Unst in Shetland, and out as far as St Kilda, over the past five years.
"It’s not all bad news – there has been some resurgence in numbers in places such as Lundy and the Shiant Isles," he said.
Every Last Puffin is being crowdfunded on Kickstarter until June 1. He hopes to raise enough funds to publish it, with rewards including an early copy of the book and a chance to find puffins with Edward himself.
Edward is the author of Iceland, Defrosted (Silverwood, 2013) which was brought to life via a successful Kickstarter campaign.
