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Journalism of Courage
The world’s oldest known wild bird, a Laysan albatross named Wisdom, has astonished wildlife enthusiasts yet again. Around 74 years old now, she has laid her 60th egg—her first in four years—after returning to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the northwestern Hawaiian Archipelago.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Pacific Region announced the milestone on Facebook, celebrating the incredible longevity and resilience of this iconic seabird.
See the post:
The post has gone viral and many took to the comments to share their reactions.
One user wrote, “This species is so majestic.” Another user said, “I met a black vulture, Orville, in 2016 that was an educational animal with Audubon in Massachusetts. We had no exact age on him, but the director I worked with said that Orville was a fully grown adult in 1977 when he started working at that location.”
A third user wrote, “OMG! Wisdom is amazing. Love that girl.”
Who is Wisdom?
Wisdom, first tagged as an adult in 1956, has returned annually to Midway Atoll since 2006 to nest, often alongside her longtime mate, Akeakamai. Known for their lifelong bonds, Laysan albatrosses usually lay one egg per year. However, Akeakamai has been absent in recent years. This season, Wisdom was spotted with a new male companion, raising hopes for a successful nesting season.
“We are optimistic that the egg will hatch,” Jonathan Plissner, a supervisory wildlife biologist at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, was quoted as saying in the Facebook post.
Albatross parents share incubation duties, taking turns warming their single egg for about two months. Once hatched, chicks remain on the island for five to six months before venturing out to sea, where they spend most of their lives gliding over ocean waters and feasting on squid and fish eggs.
Wisdom has defied odds by raising around 30 chicks in her lifetime. While most Laysan albatrosses live up to 68 years, she continues to thrive and amaze scientists.
