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title: "No mucking about on Mukojima: translocated Short-tailed Albatrosses do just as well as those naturally reared"
---

# No mucking about on Mukojima: translocated Short-tailed Albatrosses do just as well as those naturally reared

Tomohiro Deguchi ([Yamashina Institute for Ornithology](http://www.yamashina.or.jp/hp/english/), Division of Avian Conservation, Chiba, Japan) and Japanese and USA colleagues write in the journal [*Oryx*](http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=ORX)on the results of their pioneering translocation and hand-feeding of Short-tailed Albatross *Phoebastria albatrus* chicks in an attempt to establish a new breeding colony on Mukojima Island.

 The paper’s abstract follows:

 “Many endemic species, particularly those on remote islands, have been driven to extinction or near extinction by anthropogenic influences.  The short-tailed albatross *Phoebastria albatrus* once numbered in the millions but was thought to be extinct by the mid 20th century.  Albatrosses, of the family Diomedeidae, are among the most threatened birds globally as a result of commercial exploitation, introduced predators, and mortality in commercial fisheries.  We applied an experimental approach over 5 years to evaluate the translocation and hand-rearing of albatross chicks by comparing growth, physiological health indices, post-fledging survival, and migration patterns with a control group of naturally reared chicks in the source population.  Hand-reared chicks had comparable or superior health and similar rates of immediate post-fledging mortality (15%), with mortality strongly female-biased in both groups.  Hand-reared birds had longer post-fledging drift periods before attaining sustained flight (also female-biased) but comparable, albeit somewhat wider ranging, migration patterns to naturally reared chicks during their first 6 months at sea.  Recruitment to the translocation site of a breeding pair that included a hand-reared bird occurred within 5 years of the first translocation.  Success will ultimately depend on continued recruitment and breeding over the coming decades, given delayed breeding in these long-lived species.  The results to date, however, have exceeded initial expectations and can inform potential reintroductions of other long-lived, migratory avian species with strong natal philopatry, and reintroductions of native species to former breeding islands.”

 ![](http://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/S/Short_tailed/short-tailed_albatross_hand_reared chicks_by_tomohiro_deguchi.jpg)

 Translocated Short-tailed Albatross chicks get fat among adult decoys

 on Mukojima Island; photograph by Tomohiro Deguchi

 With thanks to Tomohiro Deguchi.

 **Reference:**

 Deguchi, T., Suryan, R.M., Ozaki, K., Jacobs, J.F., Sato, F., Nakamura, N. & Balogh, G.R. 2013.  Translocation and hand-rearing of the short-tailed albatross Phoebastria albatrus: early indicators of success for species conservation and island restoration.  [*Oryx The International Journal of Conservation*](http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9068695&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0030605313000094)****.****

 * John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 29 November 2013*