At 74 years old, Wisdom, the world’s oldest known wild bird, has laid an egg at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in Hawaii, astonishing wildlife enthusiasts worldwide.
Wisdom, a Laysan albatross, returned to the refuge at the northwestern edge of the Hawaiian Archipelago, where she has nested for decades. This could be her 60th egg, according to estimates by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Since 2006, Wisdom and her mate, Akeakamai, returned annually to lay and hatch eggs. However, Akeakamai hasn’t been seen for several years, and Wisdom was observed interacting with a new male partner upon her return last week.
“We are optimistic that the egg will hatch,” said Jonathan Plissner, supervisory wildlife biologist at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. Each year, millions of seabirds return to the refuge to nest and raise their young.
Albatross parents take turns incubating their single egg for about two months. Chicks fledge and take to the sea five to six months after hatching, spending most of their lives soaring over the ocean and feeding on squid and fish eggs.
First banded as an adult in 1956, Wisdom has raised an estimated 30 to 36 chicks over her lifetime. Laysan albatrosses typically live up to 68 years, making Wisdom’s continued breeding even more extraordinary.
Wisdom’s story is an inspiring testament to the resilience of wildlife, reminding us of nature’s wonders and the importance of conservation efforts to protect these magnificent creatures.
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World's oldest-known albatross lays an egg in Hawaii at age 74
cgtn.com
