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Frontiers
Joining Forces to Track a Seabird
May/June 1998
Biologist David Anderson normally works alone--in
his office and lab at Wake Forest University or in the wild studying seabirds.
His newest project, however, connects him to thousands of elementary school
students who are joining him in the satellite-tracking of two species of
albatross.
Anderson is tracking the albatross, which nest on Tern Island in Hawaii,
to gather data on how the availability of food affects the seabirds' extremely
slow reproduction. This project, however, serves another purpose: sparking
the children's interest in science through active participation in actual
research.
"This project seemed the perfect opportunity to engage school-age kids
in science," says Anderson of the NSF-supported study. "And, the data will
help us answer basic science questions about declining albatross populations
worldwide."
Visit the Albatross Project's Web site at www.wfu.edu/albatross.
To participate in the albatross study, click on "Join the Project."
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