Erpur Hansen

Erpur Snær Hansen (BSc, MSc, PhD) is one of Iceland’s most well-known biologists, a scientist whose career has been defined by close, persistent observation of seabirds—especially the Atlantic Puffin—across the North Atlantic’s rapidly changing marine ecosystems. Based in the Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands), he has long been affiliated with the South Iceland Nature Research Centre, where he conducts intensive monitoring of breeding colonies that together represent a globally significant proportion of the species. Hansen’s work reflects the rigor of advanced ecological training, combining long-term demographic studies, experimental field methods, and emerging technologies such as burrow cameras and drone-based LiDAR to quantify nesting density and reproductive success.

Hansen is widely known for large-scale collaborative research on seabird migration and marine ecosystem dynamics, including co-authorship on influential studies tracking Atlantic puffins across their entire oceanic range—work that has clarified how competition, colony size, and winter resource availability shape migratory strategies and population performance. His contributions extend to pan-Arctic conservation science, with numerous publications addressing climate refugia, contaminant loads in puffin feathers, and multinational monitoring frameworks for seabirds under climate change.

In Iceland, Hansen has earned the informal title of a “puffin prophet,” reflecting both his scientific authority and his role in communicating ecological change to the public. His long-term datasets from colonies such as Heimaey have been pivotal in documenting repeated breeding failures linked to ocean warming, shifts in forage fish (notably sandeel) availability, and broader climate-driven food-web disruptions. Beyond research, Hansen is an active science communicator, engaging Icelandic communities and international audiences through field demonstrations, media interviews, and collaborative studies. His work bridges science and society: from advising conservation strategies to inspiring public awareness of seabirds as sentinels of ocean health. Although his research centers on Atlantic puffins, his findings resonate globally, contributing to a broader understanding of how climate variability and marine ecosystem change are reshaping seabird populations across hemispheres.