ACAP Latest News

Read about recent developments and findings in procellariiform science and conservation relevant to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels in ACAP Latest News.

The U.S. State of the Birds Report for 2025 expresses concerns but has a positive albatross story

Black foot translocation 4
International cooperation: a translocated Black-footed Albatross chick on Mexico’s Guadalupe Island

The 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report has been produced by a coalition of leading science and conservation organizations including  the American Bird Conservancy, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ducks Unlimited and National Audubon Society.  It reveals continued widespread declines in American bird populations across all mainland and marine habitats, with 229 species requiring urgent conservation action.  Information on seabirds shows that American seabird populations are in steep decline, with Hawaii and Alaska populations down between 55% and 95% in recent decades.  Threats causing declines identified include predation of seabirds and their eggs by invasive nonnative species, bycatch in fisheries, contaminants such as plastics pollution, habitat loss, and infectious diseases.


Wild breeder James Campbell 2020
A Laysan Albatross incubates its egg in Hawaii’s James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, photographs from Pacific Rim Conservation

However, the seabird section does report more positive news for two North Pacific albatrosses as shown by the following extract:

“One promising strategy for protecting seabird populations from sea-level rise and storm-surge events has been translocation—moving seabird breeding colonies to higher ground.

A project in Hawaii—conducted by the nonprofit group Pacific Rim Conservation, in collaboration with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—moved seabirds from low-lying areas in the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Tern Island, and French Frigate Shoals to high-island habitat at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge on Oahu.  The translocation area on the refuge included a mammal predator exclusion fence, so the newly moved seabirds don’t fall victim to non-native predators such as rats and mongoose.  Today there are four translocated species nesting on the refuge—Laysan and Black-footed Albatross, as well as Bonin Petrel and Tristram’s Storm-Petrel.

Another seabird translocation project is offering a refuge from rising seas for Black-footed Albatross populations in the eastern Pacific Ocean. A partnership between government agencies and nonprofit groups of the United States and Mexico is moving albatross eggs and chicks from the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge to Guadalupe Island off the coast of Mexico. The project began in 2021, and by 2024 the first chicks that fledged from Guadalupe returned to the island as 2- and 3-year-olds—marking early success in the effort to establish an albatross colony on higher breeding grounds.

According to the Seabird Restoration Database, there have been 851 seabird translocation and social attraction projects worldwide, with a very high success rate—76% of seabird species showed a positive response to these efforts. About 40% of these projects were conducted in U.S. islands and coastal areas, more than any other country. Given the steep threats facing seabirds, more translocation efforts are needed, and the high success rate shows that these efforts are a sound investment in securing seabird populations for the future.”

ACAP Latest News has been following the albatross (and other) translocation efforts led by Pacific Rim Conservation; access previous articles from here.

Download the full report and read more here.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 13 September 2025

 

Want to help conserve albatrosses? A new call for volunteers for Kure Atoll

Kure advert 

“Would you like to be a part of a successful ecosystem recovery project?  Join us on a unique journey to Kure Atoll Wildlife Sanctuary, where wildlife comes first.”

The State of Hawai'i’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is seeking Habitat Restoration Volunteers for work at Kure Atoll Wildlife Sanctuary in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.  The atoll is part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and provides important habitat for wildlife, including Laysan Phoebastria immutabilis and Black-footed P. nigripes Albatrosses (both ACAP listed) and Christmas Shearwaters Puffinus nativitatus.

“DLNR is committed to eradicating non-native and invasive plant species such as Golden Crown-beard Verbesina encelioides from the atoll.  Invasive plants are a significant management concern because they displace native plants, which are necessary for wildlife habitat and promote dune stability.  This position is a rare opportunity to protect and recover a unique ecosystem while living in a remote wildlife sanctuary.”

For more information, check out the full advert from the Kure Atoll Conservancy.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 11 September 2025

 

Plastic ingestion by beached Arctic Fulmars in The Netherlands

Arctic Fulmar Arctic Fulmar

Susanne Kühn (Wageningen Marine Research, Den Helder, The Netherlands) and colleagues have produced an annual report in their series on plastic pollution in beach-wrecked Arctic Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis from The Netherlands.

“In 2024, we received 37 birds from Dutch beaches, 32 of which still had an intact stomach. Because the annual number of birds can vary, we mainly look at the past 5-year period (2020–2024).  From that period, 228 fulmars were available, of which 92% had plastic in their stomach. On average, these birds had ingested 24 pieces of plastic with an average weight of 0.24 grams of plastic per bird.  53% of the animals had more plastic in their stomach than the desired threshold value of 0.1 grams.  The EU’s long-term goal is that no more than 10% of birds exceed this threshold. According to our calculations, this goal could be reached in 2077.”

Reference:

Kühn, S., Meijboom, A., Bittner, O. & Van Franeker, J.A. 2025.  Fulmar Litter Monitoring in the Netherlands –Update 2024.  Wageningen Marine Research Report C033/25 and RWS Centrale Informatievoorziening Report.  Den Helder, The Netherlands.  47 pp.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 10 September 2025

Age of Flesh-footed Shearwaters returning to Lord Howe Island for the first time

Flesh footed Sheawater Tim ReidA Flesh-footed Shearwater on Lord Howe Island, photograph by Tim Reid

Jennifer Lavers (Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia) and Alex Bond have published in the journal Emu – Austral Ecology on age at first return in the Near Threatened Flesh-footed or Sable Shearwater Ardenna carnepeis. The species has been suggested for ACAP listing.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“Long-term datasets are fundamental to the accurate estimation of demographic parameters for long-lived species. This is particularly the case for declining species where there is an imperative to identify which parameter(s) are driving population dynamics. Using eleven years of banding and recapture data (2015–2025), we provide the first estimate of age at first return for a declining population of Sable Shearwaters Ardenna carneipes on Lord Howe Island in eastern Australia. Mean age at first return was 6.2 years, which is among the longest pre-breeding period reported for any shearwater. Various factors that may influence shearwater recruitment age, such as climate and population size, are briefly discussed.”

Reference:

Lavers, J.L. & Bond, A.L. 2025.  Age at first return of Sable Shearwaters (Ardenna carneipes), Emu doi.org/10.1080/01584197.2025.2553645.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels,  09 September 2025

South Africa’s ACAP National Contact Point, Newi Makhado receives an award from BirdLife South Africa

Newi Makhado Eagle Owl Award 2Newi Makhado proudly holds his Eagle-Owl Award statuette and framed certificate, photograph by John Cooper

South Africa’s ACAP National Contact Point, Dr Azwianewi (Newi) Makhado of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, received a prestigious Eagle-Owl Award from BirdLife South Africa at the South African Bird Fair in the Pretoria National Botanical Garden 

this last weekend.  One of only two Eagle-Owl Awards made for 2025, Newi received the award from BirdLife South Africa’s President, Yvonne Pendleton.

Newi Makhado is a Member of the ACAP Advisory Committee representing South Africa, and of both the Population and Conservation Status Working Group and Seabird Bycatch Working Group that report to the Advisory Committee.  Dr Makhado also serves on the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group and Non-target Species Advisory Panel of the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion Project.

Newi Makhado MFM standi
Newi Makhado visits the Mouse-Free Marion Project stand at the 2025 South African Bird Fair on 06 September, photograph by John Cooper

Newi’s award citation follows:

“Dr Azwianewi (Newi) Makhado deservedly receives an Eagle-Owl Award in recognition of his significant contributions to seabird conservation and his support of BirdLife South Africa's strategic objectives, particularly through the Seabird Conservation Programme and the 2025 Regional Red List assessment process.

Newi is a leading seabird ecologist and a dedicated conservation scientist with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, where he leads the Top Predator programme. In this role, he has made extensive contributions to the understanding and protection of South Africa’s marine top predators, notably seabirds such as penguins, albatrosses and petrels.

In 2024 and 2025, together with Rob Crawford, Newi co-authored 11 Red List assessments, applying his in-depth knowledge of long-term monitoring data, particularly for species breeding at the Prince Edward Islands. His technical input ensured that population trends and threats were accurately documented, and that conservation statuses were grounded in the best available evidence. He also provided guidance on broader seabird assessments, demonstrating his commitment to collaborative and rigorous science.

Beyond his formal duties, Newi has played a significant role in supporting BirdLife South Africa’s Seabird Conservation Programme. He has facilitated access to data, engaged meaningfully in scientific dialogue and represented South Africa in international policy arenas such as the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels. His ability to bridge science and policy has advanced regional and global conservation efforts for seabirds.

His passion for seabirds is captured in Birds on the Brink, where he reflects on decades of grueling yet purposeful fieldwork at Marion Island and on the Antarctic Peninsula. His research has illuminated the complex interactions between fur seals and seabirds, chronicled the alarming declines in Macaroni and Rockhopper penguins, and highlighted the multiple pressures faced by marine predators in changing ecosystems.

Since 2023, Newi has voluntarily contributed his time and expertise as a member of the BirdLife South Africa Conservation Advisory Committee, further supporting the organisation’s conservation efforts.

Newi’s contributions extend far beyond field surveys: he is a champion of conservation, a mentor to young scientists, and a powerful advocate in international forums. His support of BirdLife South Africa has been instrumental to our work and mission. For these reasons, he is a worthy recipient of an Eagle-Owl Award.”

ACAP extends its congratulations to Newi Makhado and looks forward to continuing to work with him both intersessionally and at its meetings.

With thanks to Clare Neall, BirdLife South Africa.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 08 September 2025

The Agreement on the
Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels

ACAP is a multilateral agreement which seeks to conserve listed albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters by coordinating international activity to mitigate known threats to their populations.

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