BirdLife's Seabird Tracking Database celebrates 20 years of conservation impact

 A Chatham Albatross; photo by Ross Wheeler

BirdLife’s Seabird Tracking Database (SBTD), a pioneering online data resource, is celebrating 20 years of collaboration for marine conservation.

From identifying critical habitats for seabirds, to being instrumental in mapping seabird interactions with fisheries, the Seabird Tracking Database has been central to the success of many marine conservation initiatives. 

To mark this significant milestone, a new study highlighting the achievements of the SBTD has been published open access in the journal, Biological Conservation. 

Ana Carneiro, lead author of the paper and Marine Science Manager at BirdLife International said: “The Seabird Tracking Database is a testament to the remarkable global collaboration among seabird scientists. Thanks to their willingness to share data, the STDB has not only deepened our scientific understanding of seabird ecology but has also driven tangible conservation outcomes, helping to protect threatened seabird populations worldwide.”

With its approximately 43 million location records and 55,000 tracks from 168 seabird species in 55 countries, the SBTD has been an instrumental resource for scientists, researchers and policymakers in their efforts to conserving one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates in the world.

However, gaps remain, particularly in tracking non-breeding adults and juveniles, and from underrepresented regions like the Pacific archipelagos, south of the Indian Ocean, and along species-rich coastlines. Addressing these gaps is the next phase for the SBTD which aims to expand species coverage and strengthen collaboration with other databases and initiatives. 

As seabirds face mounting challenges, including emerging threats such as offshore wind farms and the expansion of mesopelagic fishing, the STDB remains a vital tool in the conservation of seabirds.

Read BirdLife’s blog post on this significant milestone, or find the open access paper, The BirdLife Seabird Tracking Database: 20 years of collaboration for marine conservation, in the journal, Biological Conservation.

11 November 2024