Wisdom, the world’s oldest known wild bird and her mate, Akeakamai. © Kiah Walker/USFWS
Did you know that albatross pairs mate for life, and that in order to raise a chick to fledging that both parents must be work together to care for their chick? Or that albatross can live over 70 years, and that the oldest known seabird is a Laysan albatross (mōlī) named Wisdom, who is still having chicks and has been living on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge since 1956?
What better way to say “I love you” and to demonstrate your never-ending devotion than by symbolically adopting an albatross chick for your valentine? You can adopt one of this year’s newly hatched chicks, and your valentine will receive an adoption certificate and periodic updates about how this year’s nesting population of Laysan and Black-footed albatross from field researchers at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.
Albatross pairs mate for life, making them the perfect symbol of enduring love. © Wieteke Holthuijzen
Proceeds from your adoption will go to help support the long-term seabird habitat restoration efforts that our partners at Friends of Midway Atoll and Kure Atoll Conservancy are working to accomplish. The rest of the adoption funds will be used to assist Oceanic Society with our efforts to promote the reduction of plastic pollution through education and outreach projects and our Blue Habits initiative.
If you want to put that sparkle in your lover’s eyes and show them that you have found your life-mate, then there is no better symbol for that than presenting your valentine with a newly adopted albatross.
Laysan Albatross pairs work together to rear their offspring. © Wieteke Holthuijzen
