Wisdom the Laysan albatross lays new egg at 74 years old after finding new mate
Wisdom (centre), identified by her Z333 tag, watches her egg. (Facebook: USFWS)
In short:
The world's oldest known wild bird, Wisdom, has laid her first egg in four years.
Despite her age, wildlife biologist Jonathan Plissner believes the Laysan albatross has the energy to raise another chick.
What's next?
The fate of Wisdom's egg will be known in early 2025, when it's expected to hatch.
She may be approaching her 80s, but Wisdom the Laysan albatross is not slowing down in her old age.
Believed to be around 74 years old, the seabird has returned home to her nesting ground in Midway Atoll, a tiny isolated island in the Pacific Ocean, to lay yet another egg.
She is identified by her leg band, Z333, and is considered the world's oldest known wild bird.
Biologists from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) think Wisdom has reared as many as 30 chicks in her time.
In a post on social media, the USFWS shared pictures of the albatross and her new mate fussing over the egg in its nest.
Jonathan Plissner, Midway's supervisory wildlife biologist, called Wisdom's first egg in four years "a special joy".
"We are optimistic the egg will hatch," Mr Plissner said.
He believes she still has the energy and instincts to raise another chick, and that there's a 70-80 per cent chance of it hatching.
Courting new suitors after the disappearance of long-time partner
The egg is Wisdom's first in four years.
Since at least 2012, she reunited with her decades-long mate Akeakamai at Midway to lay eggs.
The pair were last spotted together in 2021, when they hatched another chick, but Akeakamai has not been seen since.
The USFWS reported on socials that Wisdom was paired with a new mate, who sported a band too so he could be identified in the future.
Wisdom and her new mate will share incubation and feeding duties. (Facebook: USFWS)
While Laysan albatrosses are known to mate for life, Wisdom has outlived at least three partners.
The pair have months of family duties ahead of them if the egg hatches.
Because the parents incubate the egg for a couple of months, it will be early 2025 before the results of Wisdom's efforts are known.
Chicks are typically grown and ready to strike out on their own by July.
Social media celebrity
Wisdom has been known to biologists since 1956, when she was tagged with an identifier leg band by Chandler Robbins.
Mr Robbins, who died in 2017, was reunited with the bird in 2002 when he was carrying out another survey in her nesting area, which is home to the largest colony of albatrosses in the world.
Mr Robbins banding a Laysan albatross on Midway Atoll in 1966. (US Fish and Wildlife Service )
Wisdom's life has been well documented by researchers, with the USFWS sharing regular updates about her parenting pursuits on social media.
Here's what some fans had to say about the latest update:
"She doesn't look a day over 40," one user wrote.
"The best news. Wisdom, you inspire us all," another said.
"Wisdom is my hero, 74 years old, you go girl," another wrote.
She spends 90 per cent of her life out at sea, resting on the waves to feast on squid and fish eggs.
But she returns to the place she was born each year to continue the circle of life.