The four successful applicants to ACAP's Secondment Programme (left to right): Agustina Iwan, Javier Quiñones, Naomi Cordeiro and Cristián Suazo

Four candidates have been successful in their application to the 2022 ACAP Secondment Programme which supports research aligned to the Agreement’s objective to conserve listed albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters.

Javier Quiñones, from Peru, Agustina Iwan, from Argentina, Cristián Suazo, from Chile and Naomi Cordeiro, from the United Kingdom, submitted proposals for projects that met the required criteria to build capacity within Parties, are international in nature, and achieve tasks within the current work programmes of the Advisory Committee (see Annex 4, MoP7 Report) and Secretariat (see Annex 2, MoP7 Report).

The projects, which range in focus and approach, include: an investigation of the social factors behind the adoption or avoidance of seabird bycatch mitigation measures in fisheries, knowledge-sharing between Parties on mitigation techniques and outreach approaches to fishers, addressing gaps in population data of and threats to specific ACAP-listed species, and enhancing dog detection skills for invasive species control and seabird survey capabilities.

ACAP Latest News will report on the secondments throughout the year but will begin with a series of stories highlighting each Secondee and their project in the coming weeks.

31 March 2023

The Rock Stars Weekend Challenge

Artists and Biologists for Nature (ABUN) has contributed to the conservation of ACAP-listed species every year since 2020 by running an annual project where contributing artists produced artworks to mark World Albatross Day on 19 June.  In the first three years some 500 artworks illustrating all 31 ACAP-listed albatrosses and petrels have been created, using photos made available by ACAP supporters to act as inspiration.  This year’s project, ABUN’s 43rd, which has been running from January to March, has been in support of the World Albatross Day theme for 2023 of “Plastic Pollution”. It has resulted in stunning artworks, which will be used by ACAP to support ‘WAD2023’ over the next three months, until the actual day on 19 June.  To get a the taste of what is to come, look at artworks ona pollution theme produced this year by just two ABUN artists, Apple Resonance and Snah.  The many others may be viewed in the growing collection in an ACAP Facebook album.

One of the 13.  Mixed media painting by Diana Andersen, who writes “This is rather symbolic as the first layer is pieces of plastic bags that the mother will try to feed her chick because she thinks it is food. The second layer is an old book page, the third layer is lama wool and rest is acrylic paint”, after a photograph by Hob Osterlund

To end another successful project #43 ABUN Co-founder Kitty Harvill and Administrator Marion Schön issued a challenge.  For just one weekend this month 12 contributing artists took on the task to paint from photographs of Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis chicks losing their down prior to fledging that were taken and kindly made available by Hob Osterlund of the Kaua'i Albatross Network. Thirteen artworks were submitted, as shown above in the collage.

Close to fledging, this Laysan Albatross chick preens its new feathers, photograph by Hob Osterlund

As Kitty Harvill writes “A big shout-out to Hob Osterlund, whose love of and dedication to Kauai’s Laysan Albtrosses shine in each of her amazing photos.”  ACAP heartily agrees with this sentiment and also thanks all the ABUN artists who contributed to the challenge: Diana L Andersen, Flávia F. Barreto, Grisselle Chock, Diane Dudzik, Lynne Waters Griffey, Kitty Harvill, Ellyn Bousman Lentz, Anne Lyon, Virginia Nicol, Alejandra Piro, Marion Schön and Shary Page Weckwerth (with two artworks).

 
Described as a “quick doodle in Clip Studio Paint” by Alejandra Piro, after the photograph above by Hob Osterlund

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 30 March 2023

Graphical abstract

Elham Nourani (Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany) and colleagues have published in the journal Current Biology an analysis of wind speeds on seabird flight morphology.

The paper’s summary as follows:

Storms can cause widespread seabird stranding and wrecking, yet little is known about the maximum wind speeds that birds are able to tolerate or the conditions they avoid. We analyzed >300,000 h of tracking data from 18 seabird species, including flapping and soaring fliers, to assess how flight morphology affects wind selectivity, both at fine scales (hourly movement steps) and across the breeding season. We found no general preference or avoidance of particular wind speeds within foraging tracks. This suggests seabird flight morphology is adapted to a “wind niche,” with higher wing loading being selected in windier environments. In support of this, wing loading was positively related to the median wind speeds on the breeding grounds, as well as the maximum wind speeds in which birds flew. Yet globally, the highest wind speeds occur in the tropics (in association with tropical cyclones) where birds are morphologically adapted to low median wind speeds. Tropical species must therefore show behavioral responses to extreme winds, including long-range avoidance of wind speeds that can be twice their operable maxima. By contrast, Procellariiformes flew in almost all wind speeds they encountered at a seasonal scale. Despite this, we describe a small number of cases where albatrosses avoided strong winds at close range, including by flying into the eye of the storm. Extreme winds appear to pose context-dependent risks to seabirds, and more information is needed on the factors that determine the hierarchy of risk, given the impact of global change on storm intensity.

Reference:

Nourani, E., Kamran Safi, K., de Grissac, S., Anderson, D.J., Cole, N.C., Fell, A., Grémillet, D., Lempidakis, E., Lerma, M., McKee, J.L., Pichegru, L., Provost, P., Rattenborg, N.C., Ryan, P.G., Santos, C.D. et al. 2023. Seabird morphology determines operational wind speeds, tolerable maxima, and responses to extremes. Current Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.01.068.

27 March 2023

“Welcome Home” by New Zealand artist Hannah Shand, after a photograph by Mark Fraser

A booked-out evening fundraiser hosted by the New Zealand Nature Fund in Auckland earlier this month raised NZ$170 000 towards the conservation of New Zealand’s endemic Antipodean Albatross Diomedea antipodensis.  The funds raised will be distributed by the Nature Fund and the Live Ocean Foundation to the Southern Seabird Trust.  “Our goal was to raise $170,000 – one dollar for every kilometre this endangered bird flies, tragically, often to its death.  We were thrilled to achieve this with the help of our generous benefactors and we look forward seeing this critical work intensified in the coming months.”

At the event, Hannah Shand‘s original of a pair of displaying Antipodean Albatrosses entitled “Welcome Home” was auctioned for NZ$12 000, with 100% of the proceeds being donated.

All smiles:  Hannah Shand (right) poses with her artwork at the fundraiser event, with New Zealand Nature Fund Trustee and former Department of Conservation Director General Lou Sanson

Hannah, who describes herself as a Native New Zealand bird artist specialising in realistic pen drawings, has written on her Facebook page the day after the event: “What a fantastic night.  ‘Welcome Home’ sold for $12,000!  I am so happy with this result and so proud of this money raised for the Antipodean Albatross”. In addition, Hannah has informed ACAP Latest News that an A1-sized and framed limited edition print of her “Subantarctic Soaring” sold for NZ$2265 at the event.

“Subantarctic Soaring”. An Antipodean Albatross in flight by Hannah Shand, after a photograph by Jordan Shand

This is not the first time Hannah has raised funds for the globally Endangered and Nationally Critical Antipodean Albatross as previously reported in ACAP Latest News.  In 2022 she raised NZ$4230 partnering with Forest & Bird (BirdLife International’s National Partner in New Zealand) in its efforts towards improving fishing regulations which will make the seas safer for albatrosses and other seabirds.  On a cruise she took to New Zealand’s  sub-Antarctic Islands with Heritage Expeditions she was inspired to draw an Antipodean Albatross in “to share its beauty, but more importantly to spread awareness about their plight”.  Her donation came from the sale of prints of her artwork “Subantarctic Soaring”  (click here), as featured in the Autumn 2022 issue of Forest & Bird’s Magazine.

Heritage Expeditions contributed to the total by raising NZ$37 000 with the donation of a cabin on an expedition to New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands (click here).  Listen to an audio clip of Lou Sanson being interviewed on the fund raiser.

Steps along the way.  Watch a video clip of its production in pencil and liquid charcoal, after a photograph by Mark Fraser

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 28 March 2023