Wisdom Layasan Albatross and her new chick; Photo Credit: Dan Rapp USFWS
All babies are precious, but this new little one is especially so given her mom, Wisdom, a Layasan Albatross who is at least 74 years old. As the oldest known living bird in the world, Wisdom once again welcomes a newborn.
In 74+ years, Wisdom has seen it all. To put it all in perspective Eisenhower was President in 1956 when Wisdom was banded. Egg collectors and feather hunters caused a massive crash in the populations of Layasan Albatross to a low of 18,000 pairs in the 1920’s. That practice was outlawed, and by the time Wisdom was banded there were 200,000 pairs, and now that number has doubled! Here is just a sample of what Wisdom has experienced in over 74 years on the wing over the Pacific Ocean and her 50-60 breeding seasons on Midway Atoll:
- She has flown over 3 million miles over the open ocean feeding on squid, jellyfish, fish eggs, and carrion.
- Some of her fishing forays for her chicks can last 2 weeks and send her soaring over 1600 miles before she can get enough food for herself and to bring back to her chick
- Layasan Albatrosses mate for life and Wisdom had one longtime mate Akeakamai who did not return a few years ago. She has now mated with another, younger male.
- Her red leg band Z333 has been replaced 6 times
- She and her chick both survived a deadly tsunami in 2011 that swept away thousands of albatrosses on Midway Atoll in just one night
- The same chick who survived the tsunami returned in 2022 to start her own family
- She has survived the perils of plastic debris (which when covered in algae can smell like food), baited fishing hooks on trawlers and fishing nets – all of which contribute to the demise of many Albatrosses.
The birth of this new chick to Wisdom is something to celebrate. Part of what makes it so wonderful is her enthusiasm and energy as she and her new mate carefully tend to their single egg together. Bravo Wisdom!
To hear more about Wisdom and her life, NPR has an update.