Triangle Island

Imagine a remote, hurricane-swept landscape of stunted shrubs and tufted hairgrass, echoing with the voices of thousands of seabirds nesting on bare rock and in underground burrows.

This is Triangle Island, part of the Scott Islands Archipelago off the north-western tip of Vancouver Island. It is home to about half of the world's population of Cassin's Auklets, the quirky Rhinoceros Auklet and BC's largest colony of Tufted Puffins.

Dubbed "penguins of the north", these seabirds of the alcid family are expert underwater swimmers. Unlike penguins, they are able to fly, fast and low, scanning the waters for small fish and krill - tiny shrimp-like creatures floating freely with oceanic currents.

But global warming is taking a toll on this globally significant seabird breeding colony.  Monitoring data gathered by government scientists reveal that the abundance of seabird food declines in warmer waters - for some species up to 80 percent compared to fifty years ago.

The scarcity caused by global warming affects not just the hungry chicks and adults on Triangle Island, but fish stocks and the predators that depend on them - including us.

Fortunately, a recent proposal under the Canada Wildlife Act would establish a Marine Wildlife Area around the Scott Islands that would protect habitat for migrant and breeding populations of seabirds. A large area of the surrounding ocean will be protected in order to guarantee food supply. The islands themselves are already ecological reserves. Environmental groups have a seat on the advisory committee.