On 8 October 2010 a globally Endangered (and Nationally Critical) Antipodean Albatross Diomedea antipodensis of the subspecies gibsoni carrying identifying band Orange 512 was spotted at sea off Kaikoura on New Zealand’s South Island entangled with “her legs caught in hundreds of metres of multi-strand poly-nylon fishing line”.  The bird was caught, the line removed and the bird was then released back to sea by Albatross Encounter Kaikoura skipper and guide, Gary Melville (click here).

Gary Melville releases Orange 512 after it had been disentangled in 2010

Orange 512 was first seen off Kaikoura as a three-year old in December 1998.  It was banded as a chick close to fledging in the Mount Dick colony on Adams Island, Auckland Islands group on 24 December 1996 by Graeme Taylor and Kath Walker.  The bird has been spotted before and after the entanglement incident many times making it a regular visitor to Kaikoura (click here).

The latest news, posted earlier this month comes from the Albatross Encounter Kaikoura Facebook page:

“It has been great to see Orange 512 over the past few days.  This female Gibson’s albatross is 24 years old. She is one of our regulars and like family to us!  First sighted by us when she was 3, she is one of our most frequently sighted banded birds here in Kaikoura!”

Orange 512 in early 2019, photograph from Albatross Encounter Kaikoura

Nice to see an ageing lady doing well.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 28 February 2019

In 2015 introduced House Mice on the USA's Midway Atoll in the North Pacific were first reported attacking and sometimes killing breeding Laysan Phoebastria immutabilis and Black-footed P. nigripes Albatrosses (click here).  Since then planning has been underway to deal with the problem, including releasing a draft environmental assessment to protect the seabirds of Midway Atoll’s Sand Island from mice for public comment. (click here for more ACAP Latest News postings on the subject).

Midway Laysan Albatosses attacked and wounded by introduced House Mice in 2016

The Final Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact, associated documents and permits and project details are now available (click here).

“In order to protect this globally important colony of seabirds, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized the Midway Seabird Protection Plan to remove the predatory invasive house mouse from Midway Atoll.  All public comments and information received during the public comment period were considered in the development of the environmental assessment.  [The] environmental assessment was prepared in consultation with other agencies, private organizations, and the public. After circulating the report for public and agency comment, the Service has determined that the proposed project [consisting of an island-wide aerial distribution by helicopter of bait pellets containing the rodenticide Brodicafoum] would not have a significant adverse effect on the quality of the environment and has prepared a Finding of No Significant Impact.”

ACAP Latest News will report on activities towards eradicating Midway’s introduced mice as information becomes available.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 27 February 2019

Six globally Endangered and Nationally Critical Antipodean Albatrosses Diomedea antipodensis reported killed as bycatch by a New Zealand longlining vessel in the Bay of Plenty region in December and January have engendered concern among both governmental and NGO circles within the country.  One of the birds was of the Gibson's subspecies D. a. gibsoni.

The same fishing vessel also caught a Buller’s Albatross Thalassarche bulleri (Near Threatened) and two globally and nationally Vulnerable Black Petrels Procellaria  parkinsoni.  The deaths were recorded by a Fisheries New Zealand observer aboard the vessel.

Antipodean Albatross at sea, photograph by Mike Double

New Zealand Conservation Minister Hon. Eugenie Sage, MP is reported as commenting on the deaths: “existing measures to reduce the risk to seabirds include weighting lines so they sink faster, setting them at night, and using bird scaring lines. Using all three together is international best practice but is obviously not enough …”.  She is also reported as saying “the industry could use innovations such as hook-shielding devices to cover the point and barb of the hook when longlines were set so seabirds cannot be hooked and drowned”.  The Minister has called for the fishing industry to show leadership over the issue.

Read more here.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 26 February 2019

Monitored Laysan Albatrosses Phoebastria immutabilis and their chicks breeding on private properties along the northern shore of the Hawaiian island of Kauai survived falling trees from gale-force winds caused by a Cold Core Low (a type of cyclone) on 10 February.

The Kaua’i Albatross Network, which monitors the birds (87 eggs were counted in 2013/14) states “There was one very close call with a downed tree, but most of the debris was small branches”.  It seems most if not all the fallen trunks and branches were from non-native trees introduced from outside the Hawaiian Islands, including Ironwood Casuarina equisetifolia and Albizia Falcataria moluccana, both of which are susceptible to strong winds.

Narrow escape: an Ironwood falls right next to a breeding Laysan Albatross on Kauai, photograph by Hob Osterlund

Laysan Albatrosses breed below sometimes closed-canopy stands of introduced Ironwoods on Sand Island, Midway Atoll, although at lower densities than in open areas. As on Kauai, the fallen needles that cover the ground below the trees are used as nesting material.  The Ironwoods on Midway are prone “to toppling over in high winds, crushing nesting birds below. Control and removal of C. equisetifolia on Midway Atoll NWR has focused on trees that pose a hazard to buildings and on “hot spot” areas to prevent further expansion of the species” (click here).  In addition on Midway “Albatross get caught in the trees and can't free themselves.  If they don't die on impact, they die soon after getting tangled in the branches.” (click here).

A Laysan Albatross dies entangled in an Ironwood on Midway Atoll, photograph by Jaymi Heimbuch

On Midway, efforts have been made to remove trees in the areas most needed as habitat for breeding albatrosses.  . All the Ironwoods have already been removed from the atoll’s Eastern Island (which also supports breeding albatrosses).

With thanks to Jeanine Meyers, Hob Osterlund and Kim Steutermann Rogers.

Reference:

Arata, J.A., Sievert, P.R. & Naughton, M.B. 2009.  Status assessment of Laysan and black-footed Albatrosses, North Pacific Ocean, 1923-200.  U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5131.  80 pp. (click here).

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 25 February 2019