Photo of the Day ~ Wisdom’s chick has hatched!
February 7, 2013
The oldest known living wild bird in the world gave birth Sunday to a healthy hatchling. The 62-year-old bird, “Wisdom,” last made headlines in 2011, when the albatross survived the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami. In this photo, Wisdom (left) attempts to nudge her mate off the nest for her turn at incubating the couple’s egg. She’s 62; the male is presumed to be much younger. In her lifetime, she has survived numerous disasters including tsunamis, tropical storms, hurricanes, longline fishing and plastic pollution.
Wisdom has defied the odds in many aspects: She’s already lived nearly twice as long as the average Laysan albatross. She was given her name after being tagged by a U.S. Geological Survey researcher in 1956. The USGS estimates that since being tagged, Wisdom has flown an estimated 2 million to 3 million miles, or “four to six trips from the Earth to the Moon and back again with plenty of miles to spare.”
“To know that she can still successfully raise young at age 60-plus, that is beyond words,” USGS bird banding program chief Bruce Peterjohn said.
Even given the great distance to major population centers, Midway is plagued by plastic pollution, most of it originating from sources on land. One study showed that 97.5% of Laysan Albatross chicks had plastic in their stomachs, and it is documented that forty percent die from it. Significant efforts are being made to collect plastic here and dispose of it properly, according to Dr. Earle, but a great deal more work must be done to deal with this global problem.
And while there have been other albatross birds spotted in the wild who are estimated to be around 50 years old, Wisdom is the only one on record to have given birth at such an advanced age. Though, some scientists may have seen the feat coming, when Wisdom gave birth two years ago to another chick, and has given birth to a total of five chicks since 2006.
“While I have grown old and gray and get around only with the use of a cane, Wisdom still looks and acts just the same as on the day I banded her,” said retired USGS scientist Chandler Robbins, who was in his 40s when he first banded Wisdom in 1956.
In 2001, Robbins “rediscovered” Wisdom, helping the USGS determine her age and track her record-setting reproductive habits. Because the Laysan albatross mates for life, USGS officials estimate that Wisdom has had to take on several “much younger” male partners over the years to help foster an estimated 35 chicks.
For more on Wisdom, please see our January 2012 post, Expedition to Midway Reveals a Model for the World.
Source: The Washington Post and Yahoo News
