It takes Wisdom to survive here

MIDWAY ATOLL is a ring-shaped barrier reef with two small islands between Hawaii and Japan.

One of the most remote places on Earth, it became the focus of world attention in June 1942 when one of the decisive sea battles of World War II took place near it. Four Japanese aircraft-carriers and a heavy cruiser were sunk by the Americans, who lost one carrier and a destroyer.

But Midway has another claim to fame; nearly two million seabirds gather there each year. A wildlife reserve, with the easily remembered name of Papahánaumokuákea, was established in 1988 to protect what are known locally as ‘gooney birds’; the place is home to almost 70% of the world’s Laysan albatrosses, and 40% of the world’s black-footed albatrosses. A pair of short-tailed albatrosses bred there for the first time this year. The world population of this species is down to about 2,000.