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Wisdom, a 74-year-old Laysan albatross, again astonishes scientists by laying an egg at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in Hawaii.
According to The New York Times on Friday, Wisdom laid her egg on November 27, marking her 30th known motherhood, with her last chick hatching in 2021.
This extraordinary event unfolded on Midway Atoll, a remote Pacific island and a critical nesting site for millions of seabirds.
“It’s very rare,” said Jonathan Plissner, supervisory wildlife biologist at Midway Atoll. “The average lifespan of these birds is closer to 30 years. Wisdom is unique. We don’t know of any others even close to her age.”
Wisdom, the world’s oldest known wild bird, has defied the odds of longevity and reproduction.
First tagged in 1956 by ornithologist Chandler Robbins—who passed away in 2017—Wisdom has flown an estimated 3.7 million miles in her lifetime, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Defying nature, Outliving partners
Albatrosses typically mate for life, but Wisdom has outlived at least three partners.
Her most recent mate, Akeakamai, has not been seen in years. When she returned to Midway on November 26, Wisdom paired with a new mate, who is now incubating the egg while she resumes her time at sea.
“She is aptly named,” noted Carl Safina, a marine ecologist at Stony Brook University.
“Her survival amid threats like plastic pollution and rising sea levels is nothing short of astonishing.”
Wisdom’s advanced years stand as a testament to her resilience.
CBS News also on Friday reported that the Midway Atoll, her nesting ground, is awash with plastic pollution.
Many of her fellow albatrosses have succumbed to the dire environmental conditions, often with stomachs full of plastic.
The USFWS called her “a world-renowned symbol of hope for all species that depend upon the health of the ocean to survive.”
Defying expectations
Albatrosses lay one egg per year, with both parents taking turns incubating it over seven months.
Chicks fly out to sea about five to six months after hatching. Since Wisdom began laying eggs at around five years old, she has raised over 30 chicks, an achievement scientists describe as unparalleled.
“I think it’s impossible not to be stunned,” Safina told The New York Times. “At her age, still laying eggs is beyond impressive.”
Wisdom’s continued ability to reproduce also challenges assumptions about aging in wild animals. “The fact that she’s old is one thing,” Safina said. “The fact that she has survived this long is actually much more impressive.”
As the BBC reported Wednesday, the typical lifespan of a Laysan albatross is 12 to 40 years. Wisdom’s longevity, coupled with her extraordinary reproductive history, makes her story truly remarkable.
Wisdom’s latest egg is expected to hatch in early 2024, continuing the legacy of this extraordinary bird and adding yet another chapter to her inspiring life.
