Figure 1 from the paper: Map of the study area. The study species were selected from the red-highlighted regions, encompassing the temperate islands of Bass Strait, Tasmania, and southeast Australia, Subantarctic Macquarie Island, and the Antarctic continent. The detailed map of southeast Australia includes several key marine predator breeding colonies. Map lines delineate study areas and do not necessarily depict accepted national boundaries.

Milan Sojitra (Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, University of Tasmania, Australia) and colleagues have published open access in the journal, Global Change Biology, on a trait-based approach to climate change impacts on marine predators.

The paper’s abstract follows: 

“Terrestrially breeding marine predators have experienced shifts in species distribution, prey availability, breeding phenology, and population dynamics due to climate change worldwide. These central-place foragers are restricted within proximity of their breeding colonies during the breeding season, making them highly susceptible to any changes in both marine and terrestrial environments. While ecologists have developed risk assessments to evaluate climate risk in various contexts, these often overlook critical breeding biology data. To address this knowledge gap, we developed a trait-based risk assessment framework, focusing on the breeding season and applying it to marine predators breeding in parts of Australian territory and Antarctica. Our objectives were to quantify climate change risk, identify specific threats, and establish an adaptable assessment framework. The assessment considered 25 criteria related to three risk components: vulnerability, exposure, and hazard, while accounting for uncertainty. We employed a scoring system that integrated a systematic literature review and expert elicitation for the hazard criteria. Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify key factors contributing to overall risk. We identified shy albatross (Thalassarche cauta), southern rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome), Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus), and Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) with high climate urgency. Species breeding in lower latitudes, as well as certain eared seal, albatross, and penguin species, were particularly at risk. Hazard and exposure explained the most variation in relative risk, outweighing vulnerability. Key climate hazards affecting most species include extreme weather events, changes in habitat suitability, and prey availability. We emphasise the need for further research, focusing on at-risk species, and filling knowledge gaps (less-studied hazards, and/or species) to provide a more accurate and robust climate change risk assessment. Our findings offer valuable insights for conservation efforts, given that monitoring and implementing climate adaptation strategies for land-dependent marine predators is more feasible during their breeding season.”

Reference:

Sojitra, M., Corney, S., Hemer, M., Hamilton, S., McInnes, J., Thalmann, S., & Lea, M.-A. 2024.  Traversing the land-sea interface: A climate change risk assessment of terrestrially breeding marine predators. Global Change Biology 30, e17452. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17452

9 October 2024

The problem: this Wandering Albatross has been attacked by House Mice on Marion Island, photograph by Chris Jones

Keith Springer (Operations Manager, Mouse-Free Marion Project, BirdLife South Africa) and colleagues have published their presentation on the findings of an international workshop held in New Zealand to the 31st Vertebrate Pest Conference in Monterey, California, USA in March 2024.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“Invasive house mice threaten native biodiversity on many of the world’s islands. Best practice for eradicating house mouse populations from islands currently relies on bait containing the anticoagulant rodenticide brodifacoum.  These baits are typically either broadcast (by hand or by helicopter in natural areas) or placed in bait stations (in human infrastructure or in areas where open broadcast is not permitted).  There have been many successful mouse eradications using these methods, including 29 of 36 attempts of islands being successful (81%) in New Zealand.  Following recent failed mouse eradications on Gough Island (South Atlantic, 2021) and Midway Atoll (North Pacific, 2023), a workshop was convened with 24 people attending (16 in-person, 8 on-line) from 7 countries (Australia, Canada, France, NZ, South Africa, UK, US), to discuss some hypotheses for what may have contributed to these unsuccessful outcomes.   The workshop was held in Palmerston North, New Zealand, between November 27 and 29, 2023.  Discussions over the three days revolved around three hypotheses. We present the key factors hypothesized for why eradications failed on these two islands.  We also outline research and operational needs that were identified in the workshop that can contribute to improved outcomes for future eradications of house mice from targeted islands.”

 
The target: a Marion Island House Mouse, photograph by Stefan Schoombie

With thanks to Keith Springer.

The paper has been published online at the open-access repository eScholarship.org, where it can be read and/or downloaded. The conference proceedings editor advises that “after all papers submitted for the 31st Proceedings have been published on eScholarship.org, we will proceed to publish Volume 31 of the Proceedings in hard copy format.  Because of the relatively small number of papers submitted for the 30th Proceedings (2022) due to the COVID pandemic, the hard copy version will include papers from both the 30th and 31st (2024) Conferences.  We expect it to be available for purchase sometime in the first half of 2025.”

Reference:

Springer, K., Wolfaardt, A., Broome, K., Callender, A., Thomas, S., Griffiths, R., Will, D., Shiels, A. & Le Bouard, F. 2024.  Factors contributing to recent house mouse eradication ailures on islands: an initial assessment following a workshop in New Zealand.  Proceedings of the 31st Vertebrate Pest Conference, March 11-14, 2024, Monterey, California.  7 pp.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 08 October 2024

Wandering Albatrosses (pictured) are one of the species that feature in the paper's case study on the HPAI H5N1 outbreak in the sub-Antarctic region

Ashley Bennison (British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK) and colleagues have published open access in the journal Bird Study, a case study on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in the sub-Antarctic region. 

The paper’s abstract follows:

“Capsule 

HPAI H5N1 was documented for the first time in the subantarctic region on Bird Island, South Georgia, resulting in the mortality of Brown Skuas Stercorarius antarcticus, Gentoo Penguins Pygoscelis papua, Snowy Albatrosses Diomedea exulans, and Antarctic Fur Seals Arctocephalus gazella.

Aims 

The spread of the HPAI H5N1 subtype has had dramatic impacts on numerous populations of wild birds and mammals. We describe a case study that can inform the management of HPAI for conservation practitioners and researchers globally.

Methods 

We documented the detection, monitoring, and impact of the first known outbreak of H5N1 HPAI in the subantarctic region, at Bird Island in South Georgia (−54.3582, −36.5112) during 2023–2024. Deaths from HPAI were first suspected in September 2023 and later confirmed by genetic analysis.

Results 

In total, 77 Brown Skuas, 38 Gentoo penguins, and 58 Snowy Albatrosses were suspected to have died from HPAI infection, and HPAI was confirmed in 5 dead Antarctic Fur Seals. Total mortality was unknown for all species, as other individuals will have been scavenged before discovery, or died at sea.

Conclusion 

This case study provides lessons for the management, risk, safety considerations, and ethical decisions regarding animal welfare that may help guide research and management responses to HPAI outbreaks elsewhere, particularly in remote areas or in species of conservation concern.”

Reference:

Bennison, A., Adlard, S., Banyard, A. C., Blockley, F., Blyth, M., Browne, E., … Phillips, R. A. (2024). A case study of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 at Bird Island, South Georgia: the first documented outbreak in the subantarctic region. Bird Study, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2024.2396563

7 October 2024

The latest ACAP Species Infographic released today, the 17th to be produced in the 31-species series, is for the Vulnerable White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis.  It is the second to be produced for an ACAP-listed petrel, following that for the Near Threatened Grey Petrel P. cinerea.  The other 15 infographics are all for albatrosses.  It is also being produced in the official ACAP languages of French and Spanish, as well as in Portuguese, to reflect its regular occurrence in the waters off Brazil. These versions will be released soon.

The ACAP Species Infographic series has been designed to help inform the public, including school learners, of the threats faced by albatrosses and petrels and what is being and can be done to combat them.  They serve to complement the more detailed and referenced ACAP Species Assessments, the concise and illustrated ACAP Species Summaries and the ACAP Photo Essay series.  English and Portuguese language versions of all the infographics produced to date are available to download here.  French and Spanish versions can be found in their respective language menus for the website under Infographies sur les espèces and Infographía sobres las especies.

 White-chinned Petrel by Judith MacKay of Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature for ACAP, after a photograph (see below) by Andy Wood

The 17 infographics produced to date may be freely downloaded at a high resolution to allow for printing professionally in two poster sizes (approximately A2 and A3).  Please note they are only being made available for personal use or when engaging in activities that will aid in drawing attention to the conservation crisis faced by the world’s albatrosses and petrels – when ACAP will be pleased to receive a mention.  They should not be used for personal gain.

White-chinned Petrel on Bird Island, South Atlantic, photograph by Andy Wood

Work has now commenced on producing infographics for the Northern Macronectes halli and Southern M. giganteus Giant Petrels.  Both have been sponsored by the Australian Antarctic Division.

The ACAP Species Infographics are being created by Thai illustrator Namasri ‘Namo’ Niumim from Bangkok.  Namo is a graduate of the School of Architecture and Design, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design.

With thanks to Jonathon Barrington, Karine Delord, Johannes Fischer, Graham Parker, Richard Phillips and Peter Ryan for their help.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 04 October 2024