Artic Terns in Scotland Down by 95%. By Jenny Hayworth, Edinburgh Scotsman, October 20, 2008. "The number of Arctic terns in Scotland has dropped by a shocking 95 per cent in the past two decades. The graceful seabirds, well known in Shetland and Orkney for zealously guarding their nests and letting out rasping cries, are suffering severe declines. It is believed they are struggling to cope with a lack of sand eels, their favourite food... Scientists think the decline in sand eels is linked to the drop in number of zooplankton, the microscopic marine animals at the bottom of the food chain. As climate change has led to a rise in sea temperature, zooplankton levels have plummeted, with recent research showing a decrease of 70 per cent since the 1960s."
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