Help for Albatross and Petrels

President Obama announced a significant expansion of the Papahānaumokuākea National Monument, creating the largest protected area in the world. This region is critical for birds such as albatross and petrels, along with numerous other marine species. Obama visited Midway Atoll last week to mark the occasion, which contains the world’s largest nesting colony of Black-footed and Laysan Albatross.

The Papahānaumokuākea National Monument was initially created by President George W. Bush in 2006, which covers the remote waters surrounding the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Millions of seabirds depend on this region for nesting and foraging, and it also protects other species including sea turtles, monk seals, and blue whales. The expansion of the Monument brings the total area under permanent protection to nearly 583,000 square miles—an area twice the size of Texas and more than four times the size of the original designation.

Audubon has pushed for additional international protections for seabirds, through the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP). A bill is under consideration by the U.S. House of Representatives that would allow the U.S. to comply with this vital treaty. The bill has made important progress recently with the addition of new cosponsors, including Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA), which creates bipartisan support for this legislation. If you haven’t already, please ask your U.S. Representatives to support this legislation.