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title: "UPDATED,  No fooling about on 1 April!  Return rate of Short-tailed Albatrosses to Mukojima from the 2008 translocation cohort reaches 60%"
---

# UPDATED,  No fooling about on 1 April!  Return rate of Short-tailed Albatrosses to Mukojima from the 2008 translocation cohort reaches 60%

It's all go on Mukojima in the Japanese Ogasawara islands.  Two more colour-banded Short-tailed Albatrosses *Phoebastria albatrus* from the 2008 cohort have now been reported visiting the translocation site where attempts are being made to create a new breeding colony on the non-volcanically active island.

 Red Y07 (male) and Red Y10 (female) were seen ashore on the first of this month (April Fools' Day) where they were photographed engaging in a mutual display.  Previously seen Red Y01 was also present.  This brings the number of returned birds from the 2008 cohort translocated as chicks from Torishima to six out of 10 - or 60%.

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/S/Short_tailed/short-tailed_albatross_y07y10_mukojima_tomohiro_deguchi.jpg)

 Y07 and Y10 get friendly on Mukojima, watched by two translocated chicks of the 2011 cohort on the right and by a plastic model adult on the left.  Photograph by Tomohiro Deguchi

 So far one bird of the 2009 cohort of 15 translocated chicks has returned to Mukojima ([click here](https://acap.aq/latest-news/first-2009-cohort-short-tailed-albatross-comes-back-to-mukojima)).

 Red Y10 was previously observed and identified from a video photograph that showed its colour band on  4 August 2010 near Seguam Pass in the eastern central Aleutian Islands by Rob Suryan and  a Japanese TV crew.  For another record of a Mukojima STAL seen at sea after fledging [click here](https://acap.aq/2009-news-archive/translocated-short-tailed-albatross-chick-from-japan-photographed-off-california-five-months-later)).

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/S/Short_tailed/short-tailed_albatrosses_aleutians_rob_suryan.jpg)

 Red Y10 spotted at sea of the Aleutians (bird on the left) 

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/short-tailed_albatross_y10_aleutians_nhk_tv_celebration.jpg)

  Rob Suryan and NHK TV crew celebrate with the confirming video picture on the screen above them.

 Photographs by Rob Suyran (upper) and Tomoo Sono (lower)

 To access a scientific paper in the journal *Deep-Sea Research* detailing at-sea sightings of STALs near the Aleutians [click here](http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=17920240).

 With thanks to Tomohiro Deguchi and Rob Suryan for information.

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 4 April 2011, updated 5 April 2011*

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