Albatrosses are heading for extinction

信天翁是著名的大型鳥類，它們展翅翱翔的身姿令無數人為之傾倒。信天翁因為龐大的體型，在自然界少有天敵，它們本可以自在無憂地繁衍生息，但是近年來，人類的海洋捕魚活動卻嚴重影響到了信天翁的生活，甚至威脅到了它們的生存。

The albatross-legendary protector of seafarers-is heading for extinction. Biologists have discovered that swordfish and tuna fishing fleets are eliminating more than 100，000 of these birds every year. In a couple of decades most species will be wiped out unless urgent action is taken. This alarming conclusion is based on a new generation of tracking units that have been monitoring the behaviour of these giant birds for the past few years.

Albatrosses breed once every one or two years. While rearing youngsters， parents undergo journeys of thousands of miles to find food. However， these vast distances increase the albatrosses’ chance of encountering a fishing fleet. Many get tangled in mile-long lines laced with bait. Most fleet owners deny causing anything but the occasional death. However， recent data make clear that more than 100，000 albatrosses a year may die in lines.

“The problem is that albatrosses-no matter the species - breed relatively infrequently and only by the time they are 12 to 15 years old，”said Professor John Croxall， of the British Antarctic Survey. “They used to live to around the age of 50， so that was not a great problem. But now they are being killed off before they can reach even half that age.”