The humble jellyfish has been found to be a major source of food for albatrosses which inhabit the Southern Ocean, new research has discovered.
A review of breeding distributions, population trends, threats and key priorities for conservation actions on land and at sea for the 29 species covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) has been published in the journal Biological Conservation. It reveals increased conservation efforts are required in order to secure a sustainable future for albatrosses and large petrels.
Scientists have developed a way to identify island habitats that face the greatest threat from invasive pests, such as rats and feral cats. Working on experience collected in a brown rat extermination program in South Georgia, a team of research developed a priority list of islands that they hoped would help governments and conservationists to allocate resources.
Globally, an albatross dies on a fishing hook every 5 seconds. Since working with Falklands Conservation from 1996-2005, biologist Becky Ingham has wanted to help prevent the decline of these iconic birds. The Hookpod is a clever new invention that catches fish, not birds and here Becky tells us how ot works.
In a superb development for science and tourism in South Georgia, Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris is offering the opportunity for 7 people to join a scientific trip on the Hans Hansson surveying South Georgia’s wandering albatross.
Encouraging and bad news for albatrosses: while the black-browed has been down-listed from 'near threatened' the grey-headed albatross is in rapid decline and considered endangered mainly because of fishing activities, reports the latest edition of the South Georgia Newsletter.
The Fifth International Conference on the Biology and Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (IAPC5) will be held in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa on the waterfront of Wellington, New Zealand over the period Monday 13 to Friday 17 August 2012.
Overseas Territories Minister Henry Bellingham met representatives of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on Wednesday, and received a pledge signed by almost 17,000 of their members, asking the UK Government to ensure that the valuable biodiversity of the Overseas Territories is preserved.
Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham has welcomed the UK Overseas Territories important role in agreeing new measures to protect seabirds.
A new global estimate of the impact of longline fisheries on seabirds reveals that, despite efforts to reduce seabird deaths, upwards of 300,000 birds are still being killed every year. However South Georgia is praised for having imposed strict regulations that have seen seabird deaths as bycatch drop by 99%.