Becoming a mom at 74? The oldest seabird in the world shows how it's done!
Midway Atoll (USA) - It is a well-known fact that men (especially celebrities) often venture out of hiding at an advanced age to have children. But some women also want to experience late motherhood. For example , an Indian woman gave birth to her first child in 2021 - at the age of 70! But it gets even wilder!
In the truest sense of the word. Because "Wisdom", the oldest known wild bird in the world, laid an egg a few days ago.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced on Facebook that the estimated 74-year-old albatross "checked in" on Hawaii's Midway Atoll last week to mate.
"The queen of seabirds" began her courtship dance immediately after arriving on the archipelago and appears to have successfully caught a male willing to mate: Wisdom laid an egg on December 3 - the first after a four-year break.
Jonathan Plissner, wildlife biologist at Midway Atoll National Park, described the breeding albatross as "a great joy".
Albatros Wisdom has been on the radar of biologists since 1956
Plissner was optimistic that a new, healthy seabird could hatch from the egg. Wisdom's vigor and energy during mating would suggest that she has the instinct to raise another chick, according to the biologist.
According to estimates, the albatross has laid 50 to 60 eggs in its long life and accompanied around 30 chicks until they fledged.
Millions of seabirds head for Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean every year to nest and raise their offspring. Wisdom was first recorded on site by researchers in 1956.
A long time ago! A certain Dwight D. Eisenhower was President of the USA at the time, and the National People's Army (NVA) was foundedin the GDR .