Four fishing hooks and fishing line are visible in this X-ray of a Salvin’s Albatross, photograph by Ruben Aleman, Fundación Juvimar

A juvenile Vulnerable Salvin’s Albatross Thalassarche salvini, has recovered following surgery after swallowing four large fishing hooks and metres of fishing line off the coast of Ecuador.  “Thanks to a quick-thinking local fisher in Ecuador and a dedicated team of vets and conservationists, the bird underwent life-saving surgery and was safely released back into the wild.”

The hooked Salvin’s Albatross, photograph by Ruben Aleman, Fundación Juvimar

One of the removed hooks and tangled fishing line, photograph by Ruben Aleman, Fundación Juvimar

“The juvenile Salvin's Albatross was found by Juan Alberto Infante, a fisherman from Anconcito, Ecuador, who recognized that the bird was unwell and contacted local authorities.  The albatross was under wildlife rehabilitation care in Puerto López after the ingested hooks and fishing line were successfully removed by Ruben Aleman, a local veterinarian with Fundación Juvimar.  After careful evaluation, it was released in late October on a nearby beach in Manabí province.  Thanks to the timely report from an artisanal fisher, we were able to rescue this Salvin's Albatross that had been grounded for several days in the port of Anconcito, said Giovanny Suárez Espín, Ecuador Seabird Bycatch Coordinator for American Bird Conservancy (ABC).  Through coordination with Ecuador's Ministry of the Environment's local representative (REMACOPSE) and a specialized veterinarian, we successfully removed four fishing hooks from the bird, including one that caused injuries to its esophagus.  The type and size of the hooks suggest they came from the artisanal mahi-mahi [Coryphaena hippurus] fishery, which poses a risk to albatrosses. 

The juvenile Salvin’s Albatross in captivity, photograph by Ruben Aleman, Fundación Juvimar

Watch a video about the Salvin’s Albatross’ capture, treatment and release here.

Information from a detailed report by the American Bird Conservancy, with additional information from the Facebook Groups of the American Bird Conservancy and the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

Read about a Salvin's Albatross rehabilitated in New Zealand by Auckland Zoo here.

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

 
A feral cat feeds on the carcass of a White-capped Albatross Thalassarche steadi on Auckland Island, August 2019; photograph by Stephen Bradley, Department of Conservation o Te Papa Atawhai (read more here)

A fund-raising campaign for the Maukahuka Restoration Project has been launched in new Zealand that aims to make sub-Antarctic Auckland Island free of its estimated 1500 feral pigs, 550-690 feral cats and an unknown number of House Mice.  The launch took place on 03 November aboard the Heritage Adventurer of Heritage Expeditions in the city of Auckland's waterfront.  The restoration project, set to cost NZ$ 80 million, is a partnership between New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) as the operational lead, indigenous tribe Ngāi Tahu’s Murihiku Regeneration, Island Conservation (providing technical advice), New Zealand Nature Fund (NZNF) as the fund-raising partner and Heritage Expeditions (which has spent more than 35 years leading scientific and eco-tourism voyages to New Zealand’s subantarctic islands).

At the ship-based launch Lou Sanson, a NZNF Trustee and a former DOC Director-General, proposed that a scheme be instituted whereby project supporters could “purchase” a symbolic hectare of the 46 000-ha island for NZ$1000, with the aim to raise as much as NZ$44 million.  “Under the plan, donors would receive a certificate recognising their “ownership” of a hectare of Auckland Island, without any legal title.”

A feral pig on Aukland Island approaches a breeding White-capped Albatross Thalassarche steadi, photograph by Pete McClelland

In a recorded message played at the Auckland Island event, the New Zealand Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said the islands are “among the great wildlife sanctuaries of the Southern Hemisphere.  The challenge before us is to restore balance – to let these islands breathe again.  Projects like this show how government, iwi [Māori tribes], philanthropy and enterprise can work together for enduring results.”

Marion Island’s “Sponsor a Hectare” scheme.  Each exposed rectangle represents 100 ha funded as at 04 November 2025

The Auckland Island crowd-funding proposal is remarkably similar to the “Sponsor a Hectare” initiative of the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project which aims to eradicate the albatross-killing House Mice on South Africa’s sub-Antarctic island.  This crowd-funding scheme is working to raise 30 million Rands at a cost of R1000 for each of the islands 30 000 hectares; it is currently standing at 42% of target.  It is important to note, that as for the Auckland Island proposal, the Marion Island crowd funder will only raise a part of the total funds required.

John Cooper (second left) proposes Marion Island’s “Sponsor a Hectare” scheme to BirdLife South Africa colleagues back in 2017 (read more here)

When I first proposed the Hectare a Sponsor idea to BirdLife South Africa (which jointly manages the MFM Project with the South African Government’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment) I had in mind the “Million Dollar Mouse” public campaign that with DOC and other support, funded the eradication of House Mice on New Zealand’s Antipodes Island.  I was particularly taken by the Antipodes Island map that showed progress with fund-raising by crossing out mice.

X out that mouse! Progress with the Antipodes Island’s Million Dollar Mouse Project funding

The Auckland Islands are a nature reserve and part of the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands World Heritage Site.  Removal of the remaining introduced mammals will mean that all the New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands will be free of mammalian pests, following successful campaigns on Enderby (cattle, rabbits, mice) Campbell (sheep, cats and rats) and Antipodes (mice).  Goats were previously eliminated from Auckland Island.

It seems that civil/government partnerships are the way forward to fund introduced mammal eradications on large islands - as exemplified by Antipodes, Auckland and Marion, as well as earlier on South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)* where the Habitat Restoration Project rid the island of its rodents and the sadly failed attempt by the Gough Island Restoration Programme to eradicate that island’s mice.

Slowly but steadily the islands of the Southern Ocean are being rewilded by the eradication of their introduced pests, thus helping save their threatened albatrosses and petrels, and all their biota.  Wearing a different hat as News Correspondent for the Mouse-Free Marion Project, I am grateful that I can do my small part towards this worthy goal.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 12 November 2025

*A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Georgias del Sur y Islas Sandwich del Sur) and the surrounding maritime areas.

Drone image of Laysan Albatrosses on Midway Atoll during the 2024/25 breeding season

The Friends of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge (FOMA) has received a US$50 000 grant from the Marisla Foundation for "Flying High for Conservation", the second year of a three-year effort to revolutionize seabird monitoring using drones on Midway Atoll.  The project, led by researchers Anna Vallery and Dan Link, aims to replace the annual ground-based censuses of Black-footed Phoebastria nigripes and Laysan P. immutabilis Albatrosses (over 600 000 occupied nests were counted last year) with more efficient, less disruptive drone technology.

FOMA is adding US$25 000 to the Marisla grant.  “We are asking you, our closest supporters, to help us raise the final funds needed. Every dollar you donate unlocks three more, helping us hit our uus$100 000 goal!”

The funds raised will also help support the Hatch Year 2026 Annual Counters.  The 2026 count is considered critical for the Refuge to get accurate figures for the two species of breeding albatrosses, and the drone research can only be ground-truthed if carried out concurrently.

“A drone image helps to refine sector boundaries on Midway Atoll”

Click here to become a FOMA member or to make a donation.

Read an earlier ACAP Latest News article on using drones in Midway.

Information and photographs from the FOMA Facebook page.

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

 Female LYL (Lime-Yellow-Lime) exposes her egg for the photographer, her new partner is behind, photograph from the Royal Albatross Centre

Egg laying has begun for Endangered Northern Royal Albatrosses Diomedea sanfordi in the mainland colony within the Pukekura/Taiaroa Head Nature Reserve, South Island, New Zealand, as reported on 06 November.

 “Northern Royal Albatross only lay one egg every two years, so the start of a new albatross generation is always a momentous occasion at Pukekura.  These hefty eggs will be laid over November and incubated for the next eighty days.  Albatross parents will work together to juggle incubation and foraging until their chicks are old enough to sit on the headland by themselves (approximately 5-6 weeks old).  These chicks will keep them working full-time all the way up to September when they finally fledge and leave the nest.”

“The Royal Cam will be moved after all eggs have been laid and a suitable Royal Cam family can be chosen. Cam pair location depends on being in range of the cable, the cam needs to be higher up from the nest and the pair needs to be a reliable and tolerant pair.”

Information from the Facebook groups Royal Albatross Centre and Royal Cam Albatross Group New Zealand.

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