The Dangers

Status: Currently the Laysan Albatross is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN red list (Vulnerable in 2008). However, this assessment is based off of a recent resurgence of birds caused by temporary changes in environmental conditions that allowed more birds to return. Also, they have a declining population trend, which is supposed to rapidly increase in the next few generations. Considering this, and large amount of literature on threats caused by humans, I feel their threat status is underestimated.


Plastic Pollution: Lighters, bottle caps, toothbrushes, toys, make up a typical collection of plastics found in 97.5% of Laysan Albatross living on Midway Atoll island (95% of the Laysan population lives here, see "Maps")(5). It is estimated that Laysan parents are feeding their chicks a total of 2 tons of plastic every year. Although it is difficult to quantify plastics effects on chicks, since ingestion of plastic may not directly cause death, a 1994-1995(5) study found that dead chicks had twice the weight of plastics in their stomachs than injured chicks (otherwise healthy). Plastic ingestion does lead to death in the following ways:

1. False satiation: undigestible plastic acts as an appetite suppressor, or will completely fill a chicks stomach, both cause starvation and dehydration.
2. Blocks esophagus preventing food passage
3. Disrupts bolus formation (this allows chicks to regurgitate unwanted solids like squid beaks)
4. Build up of PCBs on plastic floating in the sun serve as dangerous contaminants.

Why they are eating plastic: Laysan Albatross feed primarily on flying fish eggs, fish, and squid. Normally, flying fish will attach their eggs to natural marine debris (wood and pumice). Unfortunately, though, they now attach them to the massive amount of plastic floating in the ocean. Consequently, Laysan Albatross are accidently picking up bits of plastic. One of the most common forms of plastic Albatross consume, is lighters. It is thought that the lighters may resemble a squid mantle.

Lead Poisoning: Midway Atoll and some of the neighboring islands inhabited by the Laysan Albatross were once occupied by the U.S. Navy (Battle of Midway). When they left in the 1980's, many of their ships and building, covered in lead based paint, stayed. A study done at UCSC found that up to 14,000 chicks are killed by toxic lead levels, and greater than 80% are exposed to levels considered lethal(1). One of the most common causes of death caused by lead poisoning is droop wing. Droop wing prevents chicks from ever flying, thus, chicks will starve to death as soon as their parents leave.  See photo below. 

Long Line and Drift Net Fishing: Before recent regulation, 2001 studies estimated that up to 36,000 adult Laysan Albatross were being killed by these two fishing methods alone (4). Fortunately, it appears legislation against drift net fishing have greatly reduced this number. Also, long line fisherman are now allowing bait to thaw, so that the birds do not pick up the frozen bait on the surface. However, fishing can be a difficult industry to regulate, and illegal activity is still occurring. 

Invasive Species: These birds have only one real natural predator, the tiger shark Tiger shark eating albatross. However, rats have been introduced by people. These rats can have devastating effects on egg numbers.