Have you ever heard of the 'Wandering Albatross'? You may have heard of the 'Albatross', but the Wandering Albatross is also known as the 'snowy albatross'. The Wandering Albatross is a very large bird with a body length of about 1m, but a wingspan of 3.5m. This is said to be the largest size of existing birds. Because of its large wings compared to its body, it does not fly like ordinary birds, but glides like a paraglider, spreading its wings and running. It is curious to see how it flies. Usually, albatrosses are known for their giant wings and rarely fly. However, the Wandering Albatross spends most of its life flying using its large wings. It is said that it can fly for 12 days and up to 6,000 km.

The Wandering Albatross is an animal designated as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Wandering Albatross, which falls under the Vulnerable (VU) category of endangered species, is likely to be at high risk of extinction in the wild within a few months or years. The current population of Wandering Albatross is estimated at around 20,000, and the number is decreasing continuously.

The Wandering Albatross lives in the Antarctic region. Polar regions like Antarctica are more sensitive to changes in average global temperatures. The Wandering Albatross is also losing its habitat due to climate change, which is changing its habitat environment. Changes in habitat affect their food. The Wandering Albatross eats small fish, crustaceans, and other sea creatures, but recently it has become difficult to hunt for food due to climate change. Also, as it hunts in the sea, it may eat marine debris or ingest microplastics without knowing it. In addition, as the human fishing area expands, the reduction of the Wandering Albatross’s food due to large-scale fishing is also one of the reasons for its extinction. Large-scale fishing can threaten not only the Wandering Albatross's food but also the Wandering Albatross itself. The large Wandering Albatross is easy to get caught on fishing lines.

However, the large size of the Wandering Albatross helps with protection activities. The Wandering Albatross with wings that extend over 3m can be captured in satellite images. BAS and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) use the Wandering Albatross captured in satellite images to investigate the population and conduct research. Wildlife from Space, which is conducting satellite image surveys, is also applying this method to protect whales, penguins, and other animals.

Not only the Wandering Albatross, but other albatross species are also in danger of extinction. As many as 22 species of albatross are listed on the Red List. The World Sustainability Organization (WSO) is running a campaign to protect the albatross. It informs people about the dangers faced by the albatross and suggests ways to protect them. Since albatrosses are particularly threatened by fishing, the organization recommends setting up lines to prevent albatrosses from entering fishing grounds or fishing when albatrosses are not active. It also suggests setting fishing lines in deep waters for albatrosses that fly close to the surface, and being careful not to attract albatrosses with fish scraps. We hope that various environmental organizations and fishermen can work together so that the Wandering Albatross can fly for a long time.