A momentous milestone in conservation has been achieved at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge (JCNWR) on the north shore of O?ahu. For the first time ever, a wild Ka'upu (Black-footed albatross) has successfully fledged from the island, marking the success of Pacific Rim Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's past translocation efforts, and present monitoring and habitat maintenance efforts, aimed at restoring seabird populations to Hawaii.

The Ka'upu chick, E999, raised by a pair of translocated albatross, V434 and V666, is a tremendous success for the Refuge. Both V434 and V666 were translocated as chicks from Midway Atoll to JCNWR, where they were hand-fed fish slurry by PRC?s Aviculturist Robby Kohley and a specially trained team of staff and volunteers. After fledging, surviving to adulthood, and spending five years at sea, V434 and V666 returned to the refuge, successfully paired, and fledged a chick in their first-ever breeding season in 2023-2024! Their success symbolizes the resilience of Hawaii?s native seabird species and the dedicated efforts of those involved in the translocation program.

To celebrate the success, we have partnered with Honolulu Beerworks to create the Kahuku Ka'upu, a West Coast IPA brewed in Honolulu with the help of staff from the Oahu National Wildlife Refuge Complex. A portion of the sales of each purchase of the beer will go directly to the Friends of Oahu National Wildlife Refuges. This shirt showcases the same design that is featured on the can. Artwork by @AutochthonousHawaii