Why [Rissa]?

Rissa tridactyla is the scientific name of the black-legged kittiwake, a species of seabird that is listed as endangered (EN) on Norway's Red List.

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A powerful symbol

We chose the name Rissa to honor our initial work with kittiwakes in Tromsø. We care deeply about these birds and are dedicated to protecting them.

But it is not the only reason.

Rissa carries a deeper meaning beyond our conservation work. Like kittiwakes, we are social beings, and Rissa Citizen Science would be nothing without its members. Kelpers, Kittiwalkers, and other participants and supporters are the heart and blood of Rissa Citizen Science.

Like with kittiwakes, there is safety, and effectiveness, in numbers.

A young kittiwake in Tromsø city center.

Kittiwakes also confront us with our own contradictions when they seek refuge in our towns. We humans often struggle to share space with wildlife. There’s a prevailing notion that nature belongs "out there," away from where we humans live and have our activities. But where do we draw the line between where we live and where we allow nature to exist? Kittiwakes remind us that such a line does not exist.

Kittiwakes in Tromsø.

In Tromsø, Vardø, Berlevåg, Hammerfest (Norway), Newcastle (UK), Boulogne-sur-Mer (France), and other coastal cities across Europe, kittiwakes both divide and bring people together. Nowhere is this dynamic more evident than in Tromsø, where kittiwakes sit at the center of a heated debate. While some argue that seabirds have no place in urban areas—even in a town built on a small island surrounded by the sea— an ever-growing community is advocating for practical solutions that enable coexistence.

This heated debate reveals that kittiwakes are victims of our ignorance. For too many people, kittiwakes are just another gull trying to steal French fries. But kittiwakes feed exclusively at sea. Also, they don't defend their nests against humans. Tromsø is home to five species of gulls, each with its own habits and needs. It is more difficult to feel empathy for something or someone we don't know or understand.

"No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced." Sir David Attenborough

NINA ornothologist with a kittiwake chick that fell off its nest in Tromsø.

Kittiwakes also symbolize our demographic shift from rural to urban areas, where we progressively lose our connection with the natural world, its smells and its sounds. Did you know that people along the coast in Norway built nesting platforms to attract gulls? In return for a few eggs that added some variety to their otherwise very simple diet, people protected gulls against ground predators.

A young kittiwake in Tromsø rescued by the Kittiwalkers.

Kittiwakes invite us to reconsider the concept of encroachment: Is wildlife moving into our towns, or are we extending our urban footprint into the last remaining natural spaces? In Tromsø, the answer becomes clear by observing the city’s steadily expanding urban sprawl.

Now that humans have colonized every corner of the planet, how can we expect to coexist with other life forms if we cannot share space with nature in our own backyard?

May Rissa show us the way to coexistence!

Kittiwakes in Svalbard.