Above picture: Celebrating World Albatross Day at a Midwinter party in Franschhoek; photograph by Ria Olivier, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa

The Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project has been engaged in several month-long funding and awareness-raising activities in June to mark World Albatross Day (WAD2025) on the 19th.  These have included a successful “Double your Donation” campaign (details to follow soon) and the production of a series of seven art posters, based on paintings from a Special Project entitled “Conservation Campaign for Marion Island” with the international collective Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN).

The MFM Project also celebrated WAD2025 with a couple of events on and around the day as described below.

Radio Interview and a Talk

Dr Sue Tonin, MFM Assistant Project Manager, was interviewed by Pippa Hudson of the radio station Cape Talk on the 19th.  Prompted by intelligent questioning, Sue gave a lucid explanation of why Marion’s mice need to be eliminated, how it will be done, and how such issues as non-target mortality will be mitigated.  Give it a listen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCrZHBNONcw

Two days later on Midwinter’s day, Sue, no stranger to addressing environmental groups, followed up her radio interview by giving a talk on the MFM Project to around 50 members and guests of the West Coast SANParks Honorary Rangers at Mooimaak in the West Coast National Park.  Rocco Nel, Vice Chair of the West Coast region, wrote to Sue after the event. “Once again thanks for a great presentation.  It was very well received.  I will remind members to go to the MFM Project’s website and encourage them to make donations”.  Rocco is a staunch supporter of the project, having generously sponsored a total of 15 hectares and been on both Flock to Marion voyages.

 

An Albicake for Afternoon Tea

The MFM Project’s chocolate “albicake” is guarded by John Cooper’s Laysan and Wandering Albatross plush toys; photograph by Robyn Adams

Of course, WAD2025 needed to be celebrated with an “albicake”, as has become a global tradition since 2020.  Sadly, with the MFM Project team widely scattered around South Africa, and beyond, only its two Capetonian members could manage to meet up in person, fittingly with an Albatross Task Force member, for afternoon tea on World Albatross Day in BirdLife South Africa’s office in the suburb of Claremont, supported by a couple of albatross plushies.

Andrea Angel, Albatross Task Force, BirdLife South Africa is flanked by the Mouse-Free Marion Project’s News Correspondent, John Cooper and Robyn Adams, Communications Officer and Project Assistant; photograph by Reason Nyengera

Midwinter Braai in Franschhoek

Marking the solstice. Dr Liezl Pretorius and John Cooper at the Midwinter party; photograph by Ria Olivier

On 21 June, Midwinter Day for Antarcticans, John Cooper and the MFM Project’s Research and Reporting Officer, Dr Liezl Pretorius, joined 50 past and present members of the South African National Antarctic Programme and Antarctic Legacy of South Africa in the country town of Franschhoek for an afternoon braai (barbecue) to celebrate the solstice, taking the opportunity for a group photograph in support of the MFM Project and WAD2025.

With WAD2025 and Midwinter behind us, it is back to work for the MFM Team, conducting field research on the island, raising awareness, and seeking funds towards its ultimate goal, a mouse-free Marion Island that will in time rehabilitate itself to match its close neighbour, the near-pristine Prince Edward Island Island – that has never been impacted by mice.

John Cooper, News Correspondent, Mouse-Free Marion Project, 27 June 2025

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Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli by Peter Shearer, Artist & Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) for the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion Project, after his own photograph

The Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion Project is a registered non-profit company (No. 2020/922433/08) in South Africa, established to eradicate the invasive albatross-killing mice on Marion Island in the Southern Ocean.  The project was initiated by BirdLife South Africa and the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.  Upon successful completion, the project will restore the critical breeding habitat of over two million seabirds, many globally threatened, and improve the island’s resilience to a warming climate.  For more information or to support the project please visit mousefreemarion.org.