The Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan spotted on 10 April 2022 entangled with a disposable COVID-19 face mask (Cyprus, Levantine Sea, and Eastern Mediterranean); photograph by Ioannis Savva

George Karris (Department of Environment, Ionian University, Zakynthos, Greece) and colleagues have published open access in the journal Mediterranean Marine Science on what is thought to be the first sighting of a pelagic seabird entangled in a COVID-19 disposable facemask.

The abstract follows:

“Seabirds are increasingly recognized as important bio-indicators of marine ecosystems that are useful in assessing environmental disturbance on the marine biota. Over the period 2020-22 and during the first national systematic recording of the sea waters surrounding the Republic of Cyprus, we recorded the spatio-temporal presence, abundance and behaviour of seabirds using the  ESAS (European Seabirds At Sea) methodology. Here we present the observation of an accidentally entangled pelagic seabird in COVID-19 material which to the best of our knowledge is the first incident in the Mediterranean Basin. The systematic recording of entangled marine birds in personal protective equipment (PPE) used to prevent COVID-19 transmission worldwide seems to be of crucial importance for one of the most important emerging threats for the conservation of seabirds at global scale.”

Reference:

Karris, G., Savva, I., Kakalis, E., Bairaktaridou, K., Espinosa, C., Smith, M.S., Botsidou, P., Moschous, S., Voulgaris, M.-D., Peppa, E., Panayidies, P., Hadjistyllis, H. & Iosifides, M. 2023. First sighting of a pelagic seabird entangled in a disposable COVID-19 facemask in the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Marine Science, 24(1), 50–55. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.31918.

23 January 2023

Clockwise from top left: Andean Condor; photograph by Patrick Gijsbers, Black-browed Albatrosses; photograph by Richard Phillips, Southern Caracara; photograph by Rafael Goes

A new study has identified the top native avian predators for the colony of Black-browed Albatrosses Thalassarche melanophris breeding in the inner waters of Tierra del Fuego, Chile. The study, by Daniela Droguett (Ministerio de Medio Ambiente (Ministry of the Environment), Punta Arenas, Chile) and colleagues, has been published in the journal, Polar Biology.

The paper’s abstract: 

“The breeding season is the most vulnerable period in the early stages of the life cycle of seabirds, due to the exposure of their eggs and chicks to the impact by predators. Most of the studies on predator–prey relationships between the Black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophrys) and other predators like raptors, were carried out in breeding colonies located in oceanic and highly isolated areas, such as Antarctic islands. However, breeding colonies located in the Sub-Antarctic fjords have not been studied. The geographical position of the study colony makes it susceptible to a wider spectrum of predators than the oceanic islands. Therefore, it is unknown how predation dynamics affect the reproductive success of this species. Here, we show for the first time the identity and activity of avian native predators on the colony in the inner waters of southern Tierra del Fuego, Chile. This study covered seventeen field visits between 2017 and 2020 to monitor the reproductive activity of this colony. In this study, we identified the interaction between predators, the breeding activity and success of albatrosses using direct census and camera traps. Across the study, the number of breeding pairs ranged from 64 (2017) to three (2019) breeding pairs of the Black-browed albatross. Terrestrial birds with occurrence on the colony were the Andean condor, Southern caracara, Chimango caracara and the Turkey vulture. Our results showed that the main avian predator species affecting the breeding success of the Black-browed albatross, were both the Andean condor and the Southern caracara. The Black-browed albatross is a conservation target in this area since of the colony of Islote Albatros is currently part of the Seno Almirantazgo Marine protected area. Therefore, baseline informations on species interactions are fundamental for its management particularly when native predators like the Andean condor are also threatened species globally.”

Reference:

Droguett, D., Arredondo, C., Dougnac, C. et al. 2023. Native avian predators for the world’s Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophrys) breeding colony in inner waters of Tierra del Fuego, Chile. Polar Biology 46: 77–85 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-022-03107-3

20 January 2023 

Richard Phillips, with a Vulnerable Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans under study on its nest on Bird Island in the South Atlantic

Richard Phillips, a long-term senior scientist at the British Antarctic Survey, has been awarded a Polar Medal in the United Kingdom’s 2023 New Year’s Honours List for his research to improve understanding of Antarctica and Antarctic conditions (click here).  Richard has been involved with the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) for many years as an expert member of UK Delegations to its Meetings of the Parties and its Advisory Committee.  His contributions to and his past and present roles as Co-convenor and Vice-convenor of the Population and Conservation Status Working Group (PaCSWG) and its predecessors have, and continue to be, much valued by the Agreement.

An example of an early Polar Medal from the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration

His citation follows:

“Richard Phillips has been at BAS for 22 years and is Head of the Predators Group, and deputy science leader of the Ecosystems Programme.  He has made 12 fieldwork trips to the Antarctic and South Georgia.  Richard’s research interests are in the ecology and conservation of seabirds, particularly albatrosses and petrels.  He is involved with the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), the SCAR Expert Group on Birds and Marine Mammals and the CCAMLR Working Group on Incidental Mortality Associated with Fisheries.  These international agreements develop strategies to promote research on seabirds and other marine taxa, particularly where this is of relevance to understanding and managing marine and terrestrial threats.”

The Polar Medal, struck in silver, is a medal awarded by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom to individuals who have outstanding achievements in the field of polar research abd other activities, and particularly for those who have worked over extended periods in harsh climates.  It was instituted in 1857 as the Arctic Medal and renamed the Polar Medal in 1904 (click here).

Richard is also recognized academically by his positions as an Honorary Professor at the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge (click here).

In the same Honours List albatross researcher Kath Walker was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (click here).  Others who have received the same or similar awards for their work towards albatross conservation in the Southern Ocean and on sub-Antarctic islands include the late Peter Prince (Polar Medal, 1978),  John Croxall (Polar Medal  and clasp, 1992 & 2004), Sally Poncet (Polar Medal 2015; one of only 18 women to receive such an award) and Graham Robertson (Australian Antarctic Medal and clasp, 1989 & 2012).

The ACAP Secretariat takes great pleasure in offering its congratulations to Richard Phillips for his well-deserved award.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Abatrosses and Petrels, 19 January 2023

The graphical Abstract for the paper, "Environmental assessment of proposed areas for offshore wind farms off southern Brazil based on ecological niche modeling and a species richness index for albatrosses and petrels"

Carolina Alves Lemos (Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal) and colleagues have published open access in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation on utilising ecological niche modelling and a species richness index in environmental impact assessments on Albatrosses and Petrels for proposed offshore wind farms in Brazil.

The abstract follows:

“The increasing number of offshore wind farms (OWFs) proposed off the Brazilian coast is a biodiversity management challenge that needs to be addressed with strategic and targeted environmental impact assessments. The effects of OWFs on birds are much better studied in the northern than southern hemisphere. Knowledge of species distributions is key to developing effective conservation strategies. Ecological niche modeling can support strategic siting decisions and identify the target species for which mitigation of the impacts of OWFs may be required. We used the maximum entropy algorithm (MaxEnt) for modeling species niche suitability, incorporating environmental variables and presence-only data from tracking and at-sea surveys for seven albatrosses and petrels, of which five are threatened by extinction. We used the predicted niche suitability index (NSI) to calculate niche overlaps, assess distribution patterns and generate spatial prioritizations across seasons based on a species richness index (RI). Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos, Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta, and Great Shearwater Ardenna gravis were selected as target species for monitoring in Brazilian shallow waters (0–200 m depth) in the warm season, and Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross and White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis in the cold season. The RI was higher in waters between 200 m and 1000 m depth, a preferred area for OWFs with floating foundations. We advocate for the incorporation of niche models in environmental impact studies, as a tool for improving conservation, environmental planning, and impact assessment.”

Reference:

Lemos, C.A., Hernández, M., Vilardo, C., Phillips, R.A., Bugoni, L., Sousa-Pinto, I. 2023. Environmental assessment of proposed areas for offshore wind farms off southern Brazil based on ecological niche modeling and a species richness index for albatrosses and petrels. Global Ecology and Conservation. Volume 41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02360

18 January 2023