Transboundary connectivity: Laysan albatross

Due to sharp reductions in their populations, the Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) is currently classified by the IUCN as near threatened. In fact, all 21 species of albatross have been classified as either threatened or near threatened, with 19 considered threatened and the other two near threatened including the Laysan albatross.

These large North Pacific Ocean-dwelling seabirds live between 40-60 years on average, with some living even longer. They typically form long-term monogamous breeding pairs and return to the same nesting area annually or biennially to lay a single egg. This low reproductive rate makes the Laysan albatross slow to recover from human impacts, such as interactions with commercial fisheries, ingestion of plastics, pollution, and sea-level rise, as well as invasive species on nesting sites.

During their annual cycle, Laysan albatross undertake different types of migrations, connecting subtropical breeding colonies in Hawaii, Mexico (Guadalupe Island), and Japan (Ogasawara Islands) to temperate and sub-Arctic oceanic foraging habitats, including areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) where they spend two thirds of their time. These seabirds are tagged in their nesting colonies in the northwestern Hawaii Islands in their breeding season between November and July. Within this period, the Laysan albatross make long foraging trips to feeding areas in the high seas to gain the energy they need to raise their young and provide them with food.

Within the critical period after their chicks hatch, Laysan albatross must shorten the length of their foraging migrations in order to care for their young. Foraging trips within this brooding period last just one to three days, preventing albatrosses from exploiting distant habitats and restricting their use of resources to ABNJ adjacent to the Exclusive Economic Zone of the colony. However, once the chicks have fledged, the Laysan albatrosses’ post-breeding migrations extend to approximately eight months and include use of the distant waters of Japan, Russia, Alaska, Canada and California, as well as ABNJ. They remain in these productive waters until November or December, when the Laysan albatross migrate back to their breeding colonies.