The world's oldest known wild bird just keeps on laying eggs
The world's oldest known wild bird is going to be a mother — yet again. Wisdom, a 67-year-old Laysan albatross, was first spotted in Hawaii's Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in 1956, and has been raising chicks there ever since. Though the albatrosses raise only one chick at a time, leaving the already endangered species vulnerable to natural disasters like tsunamis, Wisdom has delivered and nurtured up to 35 baby birds during her lifetime. Now, she's expecting again. An egg has been spotted in her nest, and she and her longtime mate, Akeakamai, are taking turns incubating it. "It's just unprecedented that we have a bird that's 67 years old and still reproducing," says monument director Kate Toniolo. Christina Colizza
A free daily email with the day’s biggest news and analysis – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Christina Colizza is chief researcher and writer at The Week magazine.