In brief
At 74, Wisdom the Laysan albatross is not only thriving but has also laid another egg, showcasing the resilience and longevity of wildlife.
The world's oldest known wild bird, Wisdom, a 74-year-old Laysan albatross, has made headlines once again after successfully laying an egg at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific Ocean. This remarkable event was filmed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), showcasing Wisdom and her new partner caring for the precious egg.Wisdom was first tagged in 1956 at an estimated age of five, making her age a rare phenomenon for her species, which typically has a lifespan of only 12 to 40 years. Over her long life, she has been responsible for the hatching of more than 30 chicks, the most recent being in 2021. The USFWS announced on X that she is currently paired with a new mate, as her previous partner, Akeakamai, has not been sighted in recent years. Generally, Laysan albatrosses are known to mate for life, which adds to the intrigue of Wisdom’s story since she has survived past multiple partners.Jon Plissner, the supervisory wildlife biologist at the refuge, shared with BBC Radio 4 that Wisdom is one of two to three million Laysan albatrosses that visit Midway to breed each year. He expressed amazement at her longevity, noting that there are no known wild birds close to her age, with the oldest recorded at 45 years. "It's really been remarkable," he remarked. "Wisdom seems to pique the interest of people across the world, and we wait each year with bated breath for her return."Biologists believe that Wisdom possesses both the instinct and energy necessary to successfully raise another chick, with a 70–80% chance of the egg hatching. After the incubation period, both parents will share responsibilities to feed and care for the chick. Wisdom has entered the 2023 breeding season with the same vigour that has characterized her life since she laid her first egg over six decades ago. The Midway Atoll, part of the Hawaiian archipelago but not part of the state of Hawaii, is an unincorporated territory of the U.S. and boasts the largest colony of albatrosses in the world, making it a vital sanctuary for the species.
