Albatross chicks eager to fly

Ten short-tailed albatross chicks moved to the Ogasawara islands to establish a new nesting site will soon begin to fly, say Yamashina Institute for Ornithology researchers. The birds are in nests on uninhabited Mukojima island in the chain 1,000 kilometers south of the capital.

The endangered birds were brought from the volcanic Torishima island in the Izu chain in February. The old breeding ground is threatened by a predicted volcanic eruption.

In recent days, the 6-kilogram chicks have been extending their wings, which reach nearly 2 meters across. They are expected to start leaving their nests later this month.(IHT/Asahi: May 12,2008)