LEXsample :: Nomads of the Ocean

Visit the photo exhibition on albatrosses and storm petrels of the southern hemisphere


1. The exhibition	2. The birds	3. Ordering photographs	4. Feedback

Albatrosses & Storm Petrels: Life At Sea

Albatrosses and storm petrels are perfectly adapted to life at sea. Nearly of them (some 125 species in total) are excellent aerial gliders that use their long, elongated wings to exploit the ocean winds to fly vast distances while minimizing their energy consumption. Except breeding they really do not have a reason to go to land: they eat and sleep at sea, sometimes for years and years.
Reproduction

Albatrosses and storm petrels breed on remote islands where predators and humans used to be absent. Many storm petrel species dig a tunnel in the soft soil. At the end of their tunnel, which can be up to 1 to 1.5 metre in lenght, the chick is safe and dry. All albatrosses and some larger petrel species build a nest on the ground. A characteristic of all albatross and storm petrel species is that they produce just one egg per year. Some species of albatross only produce one egg every other year. Both parents take turns on the nest to protect their precious egg or chick. At this rate reproduction of these seabirds is very slow. Fortunately they can grow quite old. Great albatrosses like the Wandering and Royal Albatrosses probably reach sixty years of age or more.
Diet
Albatrosses and storm petrels feed at sea. They are mainly scavengers that are not too picky: crustaceans or other plankton, fish and squid are on the menu. They can fast for impressive lengths of time. But if there is food to be found, they do not hestitate and go for it! From all around the birds gather whenever there is an opportunity. Part of their meal is stored as a fat reserve, while in the breeding season food is stored in a special pre-stomach where it is converted into an oily and nutrient-rich pasta which is then fed to the chick.
Threats (and solutions)
Even though albatrosses and storm petrels breed far away from humans, we are still the ones that are the biggest threat to these birds. Natural disasters such as fires, volcanic eruptions or floodings (heavy rainfall or tsunamis) can cause many casualties too, but are rather infrequent and are currently not considered to impact seabird populations on the long term. However human influence is much more direct: today many species of seabird are vulnerable and threatened with extinction. There are various ways in which humans impact on the life of these birds, and every problem as its own solution. Sometimes solutions are very simple, and you can act too - straight away:

Threats	Solutions
1. Fishing Industry The industrial scale of today's fisheries causes many fatalities amongst seabirds every year. Birdlife estimates that 100.000 albatrosses plus another 200.000 storm petrels die each year from the fishery industry. Many birds drown as they attempt to catch as longline vessels set their baited hooks. Longline fisheries target predominantly tuna and hake. To catch these fish a line up to 130 km (!) with thousands of hooks is lowered into the water. Seabirds try to catch some of the bait as the line is set, but sometimes get entangled or swallow the baited hook and so drown or get wounded (also internally). Trawling fishery vessels cause thousands of seabird casualties when the birds get entangled into the net or damage their wings when they fly into cables.	The global fisheries organisations quickly have to take measures to reduce the 'accidental bycatch' of seabirds (and other marine species): towing a cable with red lines ('tori line') behind the vessel when the baited hooks are set scares the birds away. It is a simple, cheap and highly effective mitigation measure; no fishing activity during the bird's breeding season; no discard of fish offfal during the setting of the line or nets; fish only at night (when many seabirds do not forage) use nets with mesh dimensions that are safe for most seabird species Many mitigation measures are simple and cheap: it is up to the fishing industry to implement them.
2. Loss of habitat Over grazing by introduced rabbits and sheep causes the soil to erode. As a result storm petrels cannot dig tunnels (nest) anymore.	Sheep and other cattle must be kept away from areas where seabirds breed. This can be achieved by fences or by removing the cattle alltogether from the island. Rabbits must be eradicated.
3. Predation by non-native animals Mice, feral cats and rats have often been introduced accidentally on the islands by ships. These animals predate on seabird eggs and chicks, and sometimes also on adult birds.	During the last couple of years many non-native animals have been eradicated from seabird islands, allowing these birds to recover their populations.
4. Marine debris Plastics and other litter at sea mainly threatens seabirds in the northern hemisphere. Seabirds are used to eating anything that floats on the surface. The litter enters their stomach maag, which leaves little space for food, reducing their fitness. Plastics at sea are gradually broken down to very small particles until they are eaten by plankton of fish, from where it enters the marine food network.	It is crucial that our litter does not enter the rivers which will sooner or later transport it to the open sea. The less waste we produce (the less products we buy, use and discart), the better it will be for the environment in general. Balloons from weddings or other festivities often end up at sea.
5. Increasing sea water temperatures An increase of the sea surface temperature reduces plankton growth. This means: less food for fish, seabirds, seals, whales, etc It has been predicted that a changing climate will result in more frequent and more violent storms. Especially young seabirds are vulnerable for storms. Occasionally dead juvenile birds wash up on the shore after storms have been raging at sea.	Changing the Earth's climate may be something we do something about. Or maybe nothing, or a lot? It is a complex issue with no direct solutions. However, indifference is not an option. Check what you can do for yourself. Many websites offer practical tips to reduce your ecological impact.

The Egg (Wandering Albatrosses On The Nest)
What can YOU do?

The less energy and natural resources we use, the better it will be for the co-inhabitants of our planet - including the albatrosses and other (sea) birds.
Only buy fish from sustainable sources (check the blue logo of the Marine Stewart Council certification)
Do not eat fish from threatened species such as many tuna fish species. Check best buy fish guides, published in many countries.