Renowned South African entrepreneur and philanthropist Mark Shuttleworth has donated $1 million to help save the world’s largest flying bird, the Wandering Albatross of the Southern Ocean.
Roughly a quarter of the global population of these majestic birds breeds on South Africa’s Marion Island, located in the southern Indian Ocean, Bizcommunity reported.
The albatrosses on Marion Island face a severe threat from invasive house mice, which attack and kill both chicks and adult birds, placing the species at serious risk of local extinction.
To counter this, the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion Project seeks to eliminate the mice population by distributing rodenticide-laced cereal bait across the island from the air.
This method, recognized internationally as “best practice,” is the only proven strategy for eradicating invasive rodents from large islands.
It has been successfully implemented on numerous seabird islands worldwide, which are now being “rewilded” as their bird populations recover.
Shuttleworth’s donation is expected to play a vital role in advancing the project’s mission.
Mark D. Anderson, CEO of BirdLife South Africa, expressed his appreciation for Shuttleworth’s involvement, writing: “A few weeks ago, I had a fascinating discussion with Mark Shuttleworth. His passion for the Mouse-Free Marion Project was evident. His support is hugely gratifying.”
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Shuttleworth, a South African-born technology innovator, began his career developing digital certificates and internet security solutions in his parents’ garage while studying at the University of Cape Town.
He gained global recognition in 2002 when, in his twenties, he became the first South African, and the first African, to travel to space, spending eight days aboard the International Space Station conducting scientific research.
He later founded Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu Linux operating system.
Dr. Anton Wolfaardt, project manager of the Mouse-Free Marion Project, praised Shuttleworth’s contribution, stating: “Mark Shuttleworth’s remarkable contribution provides a huge boost to our endeavour to restore Marion Island’s ecosystem. His generosity not only strengthens our capacity to deliver this globally significant conservation effort but also inspires others to support the protection of one of our planet’s most extraordinary wild places.”
The Mouse-Free Marion Project is a collaborative initiative between BirdLife South Africa and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
Once completed, it is expected to restore vital breeding habitats for over two million seabirds, many of which are globally threatened, and enhance the island’s resilience to the impacts of a warming climate.
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Image Credit: Australian Antarctic Program
