Gough Island's Critically Endangered Tristan Albatrosses are at serious risk to introduced House Mice

Artwork by Sam Greenhill‎, Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature, from a photograph by Michelle Risi

This austral winter the Gough Island Restoration Programme was set to attempt to eradicate House Mice on the island that kill large numbers of seabirds every year.  The project had started last month with the first field team being taken to the island on a yacht, with the second team due to depart from South Africa at the beginning of this week.  Now, because of restrictions placed on non-South Africans visiting the country (which would include essential team members transiting to Gough) due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has postponed the eradication until next year.

The statement by Martin Harper, RSPB’s Director of Global Conservation, follows in shortened form:

“One area of work where we have had to make an incredibly difficult but essential decision is with our Gough Island Restoration Programme.  Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing travel restrictions, it has clearly become impossible to complete the operation this season.

The decision to postpone was not easy but it is the right one.  The amazing team behind the work are understandably hugely disappointed after the massive effort and hard work that has got us to this point.  However, given the circumstances it has become logistically impossible, and contrary to government guidance, for our specialist team to travel to South Africa and onto Gough during the pandemic.  We know that after all the years of planning that the project could save two million seabirds each year and prevent the extinction of a number of species.  But we only have one shot, and to get it right in such a remote place and at such a scale, all the stars must be aligned.  And for this year they are not.

We are committed in our mission to restore Gough to the seabird paradise it once was.  A great many people and organisations have joined and helped us on this project and we owe it to them as well as to our ourselves to make sure that we give ourselves the best chance of success.  We also owe it to our funders and all the people who have generously donated to the project to do the same.

The team on the island have already made great inroads on the initial project set up. This progress will stand us in good stead for next year. We now need to concentrate on getting our people back home safely and planning for the return visit."

With thanks to Pete McClelland, Operations Manager, Gough Island Restoration Programme

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 20 March 2020

From left: Jimmy Breeden, Kelly Goodale, Elaine Beaudoin, Joanna Morelli, Nicole Faber, Joey Latsha, Emily Jankowski, William Kennerley, Jon Plissner, Tim Clark, Virginie Ternisien, Tristen Luxner, Suzanne Pluskat, Alex Chmielewski, Amanda Boyd and Stephen Barclay, 29 February 2020; photograph by Amanda Boyd

Back in January ACAP Latest News featured a group of volunteers visiting Midway Atoll’s uninhabited Eastern Island in the North Pacific for the annual albatross count.  While on the island they signalled their support for the inauguration of World Albatross Day on 19 June this year by gathering for a photo behind their hand-drawn sign made by volunteer Caren Loebel-Fried.

During her time on Midway, Caren requested that a similar photo be taken on the larger inhabited Sand Island with the atoll’s combined conservation team.  In response no less than 16 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) volunteers, interns and staff, Pacific Rim Conservation staff and Island Conservation staff gathered last month in front of the refuge sign on Sand Island holding up four sheets of paper printed with  the words WORLD ALBATROSS DAY 19 JUNE 2020.  A look at the photo shows that a seemingly bashful Laysan Albatross centre stage has turned its back on the camera, no doubt waiting patiently for peace and quiet to return.  Many more Laysans can be seen gathered for the breeding season in the background.

ACAP Latest News is appreciative of the conservationists on Midway finding time to gather in support of ‘WAD2020’, especially as there is a lot going on at the atoll this year to keep them all busy.  Most important will be the effort set to take place in a few months’ time to eradicate the introduced House Mice that have taken to attacking breeding albatrosses on Sand Island (fortunately Eastern Island remains mouse free).

And of course, among the hundreds and thousands of albatrosses that breed on the atoll to look after there are two world-famous pairs of albatrosses to keep a watchful eye over: 69-year old Laysan Albatross Wisdom and her mate Akeamakai (currently on a ‘gap year’) and George and Geraldine, the only Short-tailed Albatross pair that breeds successfully outside Japan - whose current chick, their second, is growing apace.

 Wisdom & Akeamakai, 2015, photo by Kiah Walker

George & Geraldine, 2018, photo by Madelein Riley

Recognition of World Albatross Day has also come from the Friends of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge which supports conservation work on the atoll (click here).

With thanks to Stephen Barclay, Acting Manager, Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Caren Loebel-Fried.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 19 March 2020

Eva-Cherie Artz is a self-taught artist based in Owenga on New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, working predominantly with dry pastel and acrylics.  She is a Chatham Islander with both Maori and Moriori heritage.  On her website she has written: “Drawing on my experiences at sea and life on the Chatham Islands, I’m inspired by seascapes, bird and fish life, as my ancestors were.  My works represent a spiritual connection with the land and sea, using defining shapes to portray my subjects and the blending of colour to symbolise emotion and a character’s aura".

Eva-Cherie Artz with examples of her "Silent Slaughter - Chatham Albatross" series

Her ‘muse’ is the globally Vulnerable (and nationally Naturally Uncommon) Chatham Albatross Thalassarche impavida.  This albatross, endemic to New Zealand, breeds only on The Pyramid, an imposing rocky stack situated south of Pitt Island in the Chatham Island group.

At ACAP Latest News’ request, Eva-Cherie has produced two evocative paintings of Chatham Albatrosses in her "Silent Slaughter" series to mark the inauguration of  World Albatross Day on 19 June.  She writes: “The Hook represents the hazards and perils Chatham Albatrosses face when they are at sea on their life’s journey; the Tear Drop of blood represents the sadness of the fatalities and the birds that never return home; the Rainbow represents treasure and how valuable the albatrosses are to me and to the rest of the world; and the Pyramid represents their home, a small rugged island in the Chatham Islands group.”

View more of Eva-Cherie Artz’s art here.

With grateful thanks to Eva-Cherie Artz

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 18 March 2020

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is working with the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) and the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) to attract talented early-career researchers, scientists, engineers, environmental managers and other professionals to strengthen international capacity and cooperation in fields such as climate, biodiversity, conservation, humanities and astrophysics research by way of annual funding opportunities.

SCAR, COMNAP and IAATO have launched fellowships for early-career researchers.  In 2020, COMNAP and IAATO will each offer one fellowship with funding of up to USD 15 000 each, and SCAR will also offer three to four fellowships of up to USD 15 000 each.  The fellowships enable early-career researchers to join a project team from another country, opening up new opportunities and often creating partnerships that last for many years and over many Antarctic field seasons.

The SCAR, COMNAP and IAATO schemes are launched in conjunction with the CCAMLR Scientific Scholarship Scheme.  The CCAMLR Scholarship provides funding of up to AUD 30 000 to assist early-career scientists to participate in the work of the CCAMLR Scientific Committee and its working groups over a period of two years.  The objective of the scheme is to build capacity within the CCAMLR scientific community to help generate and sustain the scientific expertise needed to support the work of CCAMLR in the long term.

All schemes are being jointly promoted by the four organisations.

The deadline for COMNAP and IAATO fellowship applications is 31 May 2020.

The deadline for SCAR fellowship applications is 26 August 2020.

The deadline for CCAMLR scholarship applications is 1 October 2020.

For more information, please visit the websites of SCAR, COMNAP, IAATO and CCAMLR.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 17 March 2020