Whats New
Amateur Radio Operations to be Allowed at Midway (pdf 65K)
Midway Field Journal - Time to Band the Birds
2009 Midway Fee Schedule (pdf 18K)
Midway Visitor Services Plan
Unusual Deaths Strike Midway's Laysan Duck Population
August 15, 2008
Over the past week, a total of 116 adolescent and adult Laysan ducks have been found dead on Midway Atoll. Although avian botulism is suspected, the diagnosis cannot be confirmed until laboratory analysis of samples sent to the National Wildlife Health Center in Wisconsin is complete.
The population level at Midway was estimated at 200 Laysan ducks in December 2007, but successful fledging this year almost doubled that population level. The Midway population began with 42 ducks translocated in 2004 and 2005 from Laysan Island, the only other site the birds still exist. The birds were translocated as a measure to ensure an emergency such as a hurricane or disease outbreak could not destroy the entire population. |
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Laysan duck and ducklings
Photo credit John Klavitter/USFWS
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Veterans and FWS staff at memorial - Photo credit Ann Bell/USFWS |
Honoring the 66th Anniversary
June 4, 2008
On June 4, 110 visitors joined Midway Atoll residents in commemorating the 66th anniversary of the Battle of Midway. Two World War II veterans were present: Chief Chuck Wheeler, who was a aviation ordnanceman on the USS Enterprise during the Battle of Midway, and Lieutenant Roy McArdle, a harbor pilot on Midway in 1945.
Lieutenant General Hank Stackpole, USMC (Ret) was the keynote speaker during the ceremony, which focused on the Batttle of Midway from the U.S. Marine Corps’ perspective. Refuge Manager Barry Christenson and Deputy Refuge Manager Matt Brown helped the two World War II veterans place a lei on the Battle of Midway memorial in remembrance of the men who turned the tide of war in the Pacific.
The visit was cosponsored by Military Historical Tours, the Pacific Aviation Museum, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Midway Visitor Program to Reopen through Oceanic Society
January 15, 2008
Oceanic Society, a nonprofit marine conservation organization, has been granted a permit by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and State of Hawai‘i to conduct educational tours to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and the Battle of Midway National Memorial beginning in March 2008. The refuge and national memorial also serve as the “window” to Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the only site within the Monument open to the public. Numerous provisions of the permit ensure the protection of Midway’s wildlife and historic resources while allowing visitors to learn about and experience this unique ecosystem.
Oceanic Society will coordinate seven week-long trips to Midway Atoll in 2008 to foster public awareness of the importance and sensitivity of remote atoll ecosystems. The guided tours will interpret both the biological and historic importance of Midway and Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, and visitors will also learn of the cultural significance of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands for Native Hawaiians. For detailed information, photos or a brochure, contact Oceanic Society, (800) 326-7491, or email office@oceanic-society.org, or visit www.oceanic-society.org.
