The journal Zoology

They don't yet know what the albatross are after during these deep dives, but this capability suggests that measures to mitigate by-catch in pelagic longline fisheries, a major cause of global decline in many albatross species, might need to be re-examined if albatross can chase baited hooks to much greater depths than previously thought.

Using state-of-the-art miniature biologging devices, the researchers found that black-browed albatross from the Falkland Islands are in fact capable of diving much deeper that previously thought for any albatross species. They do this mainly by propelling themselves using a combination of wings and feet.

Albatross are supreme fliers, wandering the oceans almost effortlessly by extracting energy from the wind gradients using dynamic soaring. Consequently, they have never been seen as proficient divers unlike many of their relatives.

In general, historic observations (and some studies with more modern dataloggers) have suggested that albatrosses are surface feeders and so bycatch occurs primarily while lines are being set, when hooks are close to the surface. Since albatross are thought to be unable to dive to depths where the hooks are actively deployed, ways to reduce the availability of hooks to birds while hooks are close to the surface have been deployed.

Zoology is a journal devoted to experimental and comparative animal science. It presents a common forum for all scientists who take an explicitly organism oriented and integrative approach to the study of animal form, function, development and evolution.