This 65-Year-Old Mama Knows Best How To Raise Her New Baby
This Laysan Albatross Momma is at least 65-years-old. She was first tagged by scientists in 1956 and has flown at least 3 Million miles in her lifetime. It’s like completing three roundtrips to the Moon and back.
This year, Wisdom – that’s her name – had a chick. His name is Kūkini from Hawaiian “messenger.” Again, she nested in the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific Ocean, which is the atoll on the Hawaiian Islands to bring into the world this little wonder, her extension of life and … wisdom.
Image Credit: National Geographic
An albatross mates for life and produces one egg each year. Wisdom has survived several of her mates, and now she is with he current mate named Goo. What is interesting that an albatross doesn’t seem to lose their ability to lay an egg with a healthy chick as they get old. They don’t seem to go through the menopause. Wisdom looks and feels agile and healthy like she was, well, 65 years ago.
Nobody could tell how long albatross lived. Following Wisdom for so many years, we learn so much about her personally and life at large. What a true WONDER LIFE IS!
The scientists will follow the progress of Mama and chick. They have a busy life feeding and growing on the atoll.
Watch this inspiring video, and may your day be brighter.
wow I so did not know that there was birds that lived that long! cool!
What an amazing bird! Thank you for this hear-warming and informative post!
I had to tweet this to my animal loving bff. I mean, man, 65 years old!!! Now I get the illustration of an albatross around the neck because it looks like they live forever!!
65! Now that is amazing for a bird! I love your post, so thoughtful!
Wow… What an amazing story and Such an interesting bird it’s!!
I had no idea birds could live that long – what an amazing story! And now I feel like I want to visit an animal refuge…
What a great story. I can’t wait to share it with my kids. They always love learning about animals! And I can’t imagine having a baby when I am 65!
Oh my. This is amazing. First of all that they live that long and second of all they still have babies at that age. How incredible.
Wow! What a wonderful story. I learned a lot about the albatross. Such an interesting bird.
This is really amazing. I had no idea that they could live that long, let alone still produce healthy eggs as they get older.
Wow that is so interesting. I wonder what the typical lifespan is if she has already outlived several mates.
Jeez, 65 and still going strong. I’m glad I’m.not an albatross though. I am looking forward to the menopause and finishing with all that mess and stuff. I couldn’t stand a new pregnancy every year.
I didn’t realize that birds live to be that old. What a great story and the things the bird has to have seen.
What an amazing story. She must have been through so much! It’s crazy how long scientist have been tracking her.
This is so darling! I can’t believe that bird is 65 years old. She is certainly well traveled.
This is so great! I didn’t know any of this and it is so interesting to learn – wow, 65! What an incredible creature.
I’m in awe! I hope I look that good when I’m 65! This is simply amazing! Congrats to Wisdom on the birth of her new chick and I loved the video.