Albatross: The sentinels of the sea
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard
TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2022
TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2022
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
Albatross: The sentinels of the sea

Earth

Azizur Rahman Anik
07 October, 2020, 04:35 pm
Last modified: 07 October, 2020, 05:04 pm

Related News

  • Insufficient fund allocation behind poor research in universities
  • Patient people take more risks
  • Universities spend only 2% on research
  • Education ministry to pursue Buet’s mega plan to boost research
  • Scientists publish the first complete human genome

Albatross: The sentinels of the sea

These birds might have a promising career as a sea vessel tracker

Azizur Rahman Anik
07 October, 2020, 04:35 pm
Last modified: 07 October, 2020, 05:04 pm
Souther Royal Albatross. Photo: JJ Harrison
Souther Royal Albatross. Photo: JJ Harrison

We all know that water covers a significant proportion of the Earth. But how much does it cover? According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, oceans cover about 361.9 million square kilometres, a sheer 70.9 percent of the Earth's surface. And in this vast area, boats engaging in illegal fishing or human trafficking have good reason to hide. However, no matter how stealthy a vessel can be, it can never escape the eye of an albatross.

Albatrosses have phenomenal senses to pick up all the interesting events. When it comes down to fishing, nothing can bypass an albatross. Let's consider wandering albatross, a species of the group particularly studied for its free-roaming behaviour over the big blue oceans. According to a work featured in Science Direct, the species flies 8.5 million kilometres in average during their lifetimes. To simplify, an albatross can fly to the Moon and back more than ten times! 

Albatrosses are built for gliding, an adaptation to support for prolonged flights. Mature wandering albatross weigh over 5-13 kilograms, but, blessed with the longest wingspan (3.5 metres) of any birds. The combination helps albatrosses to sustain some of the strongest winds on the Earth.

Recently, the keen sense of albatrosses sparked interest among researchers. These birds might have a promising career as sea sentinels! The research, led by Dr Weimerskirch from the Université de la Rochelle and featured in the journal PLOS One, was conducted on 169 albatrosses, each attached with roughly two-ounce data loggers. For a year the researchers observed the birds, foraging for 10 to 15 days at a time, flying thousands of miles per trip. Data-logger attached to the birds picked up radar blips from 353 fishing-vessels.

When cross-checking with the number of vessels operating during the study-periods, researchers found a stark disparity. Only 253 of the operating fishing-vessels were with effective registrared Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder, a requirement set by International Maritime Organization for every vessels. This means the rest of the vessels the albatrosses had picked up were fishing under cloak, illegally without permit.

The research concluded one intriguing fact. Albatrosses with data loggers can be applied to monitor high-sea fishing activity. In this technique, both the birds' radar detections and AIS information could be downloaded nearly in real-time, in turn, which can help governments to identify illegal vessels faster than anything else.

Albatross, in myths and lores, are praised as the guardians of the seas. Since long, these birds have served as guide and good omen to the fisherfolks. Can they now act as sentinels to protect the fading maritime resources?

Features / Top News

Albatross / sea / research

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Representational image. Picture: Pixabay
    Govt raises regulatory duty to discourage imports of 200 products
  • Corporates go cashless…tax cut on cards
    Corporates go cashless…tax cut on cards
  • Photo: Reuters
    Hajj flights to start from 5 June: Ministry 

MOST VIEWED

  • A second bear cub in captivity. Photo was taken this week from Menkiyangpara, Bandarban. Its mother was presumably poached. Its further fate is still unknown. Photo_  Khalid Mahmud
    Saving a black bear cub in the Hill Tracts
  • Their plumage is beaded with numerous eye-like spots, akin to its namesake, the peacock. Photo: eBird
    Of peacock-pheasant, jungle rules, and lucky strike: A birdwatching story
  • Clownfishes host anemone in the reef and raise babies there. Photo Collected
    Parental care in the fish world
  • Finding fantastic beasts: A camera-trapping story from our forgotten forests 
    Finding fantastic beasts: A camera-trapping story from our forgotten forests 
  • Greater hog badger. Photo Wich'yanan Limparungpatthanakij via iNaturalist
    The greater hog badger, cornered by a hunting-driven extinction crisis
  • Black-headed bulbul. Moments captured through viewfinder are priceless. Photo Muntasir Akash
    Mastering the art of conservation photography

Related News

  • Insufficient fund allocation behind poor research in universities
  • Patient people take more risks
  • Universities spend only 2% on research
  • Education ministry to pursue Buet’s mega plan to boost research
  • Scientists publish the first complete human genome

Features

The balcony railings of the Boro Sardar Bari in Sonargaon. Made of cast iron, these railings feature vertical posts with intricate designs on top. Photo: Noor-A-Alam

The evolution of railing and grille designs

1h | Habitat
A Russian army service member fires a howitzer during drills at the Kuzminsky range in the southern Rostov region, Russia January 26, 2022. REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov/File Photo

3 months of Ukraine war : Miscalculations, resistance and redirected focus

2h | Analysis
Musk is denying the sexual harassment allegation that surfaced this week. Photo: Bloomberg

Elon Musk’s crazily banal week 

20h | Panorama
Asus Zenbook 14 Flip OLED: A touch of brilliance to your life

Asus Zenbook 14 Flip OLED: A touch of brilliance to your life

23h | Brands

More Videos from TBS

How to maintain a good relationship with colleagues

How to maintain a good relationship with colleagues

2h | Videos
Why are Duranta TV shows popular?

Why are Duranta TV shows popular?

15h | Videos
Donbas is hell, says Zelenskiy

Donbas is hell, says Zelenskiy

16h | Videos
Threat of Monkeypox on the horizon

Threat of Monkeypox on the horizon

17h | Videos

Most Read

1
Tk100 for bike, Tk2,400 for bus to cross Padma Bridge
Bangladesh

Tk100 for bike, Tk2,400 for bus to cross Padma Bridge

2
A packet of US five-dollar bills is inspected at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington March 26, 2015. REUTERS/Gary Cameron
Banking

Dollar hits Tk100 mark in open market

3
Bangladesh at risk of losing ownership of Banglar Samriddhi
Bangladesh

Bangladesh at risk of losing ownership of Banglar Samriddhi

4
PK Halder: How a scamster rose from humble beginnings to a Tk11,000cr empire
Crime

PK Halder: How a scamster rose from humble beginnings to a Tk11,000cr empire

5
BSEC launches probe against Abul Khayer Hero and allies
Stocks

BSEC launches probe against Abul Khayer Hero and allies

6
The reception is a volumetric box-shaped room that has two glass walls on both the front and back ends and the other two walls are adorned with interior plants, wood and aluminium screens. Photo: Noor-A-Alam
Habitat

The United House: Living and working inside nature

The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy
  • Sitemap
  • RSS

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net

Copyright © 2022 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved. Technical Partner: RSI Lab