A Story About Albatross

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Arleen Bell
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1 A Story About Albatross Tracking their Travels and Tracking Plastic Trash Sophie Webb

2 If we didn t clean our shorelines, where could the litter go? How can your coastal clean-up efforts benefit these unique birds?

3 Seabird Diversity H. Nevins J. Harvey Alcid Penguin Pelican Petrel H. Nevins our main orders of seabirds: Sphenisciformes - Penguins Procellariiformes Albatrosses, Shearwaters, Fulmars, & Petrels Pelecaniformes - Pelicans, Cormorants, Boobies, Frigate birds Charadriiformes - Gulls, Terns, & Alcids

4 (Ashmole 1971) Seabird Feeding Methods FEEDERS Plunging

5 What is a seabird? J. Adams Diagram credit: Lars Löfgren W.Henry

6 Black-footed albatross Laysan albatross Photo credit: P.Pyle

7 Unique characteristic of Procellariiformes? Tubular nostrils often called tube-nosed seabirds

8 Black-footed albatross Sophie Webb Hyrenbach

9 What What makes makes seabirds vulnerable? seabirds vulnerable? Long-line and other fishery interactions Oiling from oil spills Ebbert Threats at colonies: introduced mammals, habitat destruction Photo: W. Henry Marine debris

10 What are some threats to seabirds? entanglemen t

11 What makes seabirds vulnerable? Plastic ingestion Photo: Cynthia Vanderlip

12 Seabirds most susceptible to plastic ingestion Saenz Black-footed and Laysan Albatross Webb Saenz Northern

14 Photo credit: Kinnan

15 Should contain: 50% fish 32% squid 5% crustaceans 10% stomach oil (Harrison et al Fry 1987) Photo credit: Kinnan

16 Analysis of Albatross Chick Boluses Kure Atoll, Hawaiian Island Chain (Kinan 2000) o Analyzed 144 boluses from Laysan and Blackfooted albatrosses o Plastic found in every single one (100%)

17 Photo: C. Vanderlip

18 Effects of plastic ingestion? Large plastic items ulcerations, infection & obstruction Small plastic items reduce meal size, dehydration Long-term effects of plastic ingestion? Leaching of toxic chemicals from the plastic? Lower breeding success?

19 Where is marine debris found? everywhere - both marine and coastal environments floating water column on the seabed on beaches and shores (

20 90% of floating marine debris is plastic 2.5 cm 1 inch Photos: Kathy Cousins / Irene Kinan

21 How does plastic get into the sea? 1. Littering by beachgoers 2. Run-off from land e.g. rivers and storm drains 3. Direct dumping into the ocean 4. Accidental loss from ships

22 2. Run-off from land e.g. rivers and storm drains

23 Major Ocean Currents North Pacific Gyre Alaskan Gyre

1. Shoe Spill May 27, 1990 2. 250 recovered, March 26, 1991 3. 200 recovered, May 18, 1991 4. 100 recovered, Jan-Feb 1991 5. 200 recovered, Nov.

24 1. Shoe Spill May 27, recovered, March 26, recovered, May 18, recovered, Jan-Feb recovered, Nov.- Dec recovered Feb.Mar recovered April recovered May Several recovered Jan-Mar Predicted Jan-July 1994

25 Drifting Tots Tub Toys!!! Twelve years and counting: ( Dean Orbison January 10, ,200 miles adrift Sitka AK, Aug.- Sept., still finding them!!

26 Algalita Marine Research Foundation Eastern garbage patch Learn more about studies of the Eastern / Western garbage patches conducted by the Algalita Marine Research Foundation

27 Facts about Plastic in the Gyre (Algalita Marine Research Foundation) 6 lbs of plastic for each pound of surface zooplankton in the North Pacific central Gyre Plastic does not biodegrade; it s broken down by sunlight into smaller pieces

28 Do seabirds venture into this plastic zone? Danzenbacher Studying Albatrosses in California..

29 Why research is needed? What will satellite tracking and remote sensing allow us to do?

30 METHODS Captured 18 birds within Cordell Bank NMS in July - Aug & 2005 Equipped birds with Sirtrack Kiwisat 202 transmitters (54 g)

31 Size: 7 x 4 x 2 cm Weight: 54 g Antenna: 18 cm Ready for release.. Danzenbacher

32 ESULTS OF 2004 TRACKING: Tracked albatrosses ventured outside of U.S. EEZ, with 61% locations in the high seas Unpublished data Hyrenbach et al Three birds ranged into the western north Pacific Ocean, west of the dateline (180 o W)

33 Black-footed Albatross tracks overlap with Algalita Marine Research Foundation s Eastern Garbage Patch Unpublished data Hyrenbach et al. 2004

34 Pop Quiz!!!!! 1. What do albatross A bolus regurgitate? 2. How much of floating debris is plastic? 50% 90% 20% 3. Most marine debris comes from land sources. True or False 4. How is marine debris moved around bays and oceans? Winds & Currents 1. What seabird feeding method can result in eating lots of plastic? 6. Why? Diving for food Picking food from the ocean surface

35 If we didn t clean our beaches, where could the litter go? How can your coastal clean-up efforts benefit these unique birds?

36 Solutions.. How can you be part of the solution?

37 Photos courtesy Captain Charles Moore - AMRF

38 Trash Monster!! Beach litter collected October-March 2003 Fort Ross to Rodeo Beach, California Artist: Keary Sorenson

39 Acknowledgements & Credits Primary author: Carol Keiper, Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge This presentation is adapted from presentations funded by the California Coastal Commission s Whale Tail Grant Program Contributing authors: Dr. David Hyrenbach, PhD, Duke University; Hannah Nevins & Michelle Hester, Oikonos-Ecosystem Knowledge; Cheryl Baduini, PhD, Claremont Colleges; Josh Adams, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories & USGS Jennifer Stock, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary; William Henry, University of California Santa Cruz; Captain Charles Moore, Algalita Marine Research Foundation Funding for Black-footed Albatross conservation research provided by National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Photos and Slides: P.Pyle, B.Saenz, B.Henry, S.Webb, D.Hyrenbach, M.Danzenbacher, J.Stock, H. Nevins, J. Adams, J. Harvey, C Vanderlip K.Cousins, I. Kinan, Myra Finkelstein

A Story About Albatross

A Story About Albatross Tracking their Travels and Tracking Plastic Trash Sophie Webb 2004 This is a story about tracking albatross and tracking plastic trash. In particular, this story is about the dark