Midway Atoll

Midway Atoll is an island in the Pacific Ocean and was the site of a famous battle in World War II, the Battle of Midway. The United States of America took control of the atoll in 1867 when nobody lived there. In the 21st century about 40 people live there, mostly working for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Wildlife

Albatrosses at Midway Atoll.

Midway Atoll is now home to 67-70% of the world's Laysan Albatross population, and 34-39% of the global Black-footed Albatross.

While Midway supports nearly three million birds, each seabird species has carved out a specific site on the atoll in which to nest. Seventeen different species of seabird can be found, the rarest of which is the Short-tailed Albatross, otherwise known as the “Golden Gooney.” Fewer than 2,200 are believed to exist due to excessive feather hunting in the late nineteenth century.

Over 250 different species of looli marine life are found in the 300,000 acres (120,000 ha) of lagoon and surrounding waters. The critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals raise their pups on the beaches. Monk seals are benthic foragers and rely on the Midway Atoll’s reef fish, squid, octopus and crustaceans. Green sea turtles, another threatened species, occasionally nest on the island. The first was found in 2006 on Spitsy Rinaia Island and another in 2007 on Sand Island. A resident pod of 300 spinner dolphins live in the lagoons and nearshore waters.

Other websites

• Satellite Map and NOAA Chart of Midway Archived 2010-09-18 at the Wayback Machine on BlooSee
• AirNav - Henderson Field Airport : Airport facilities and navigational aids.
• Diary from the middle of nowhere BBC's environment correspondent David Shukman reports on the threat of plastic rubbish drifting in the North Pacific Gyre to Midway. Accessed 2008-03-26.
• Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge (this article incorporated some content from this public domain site)
• NOAA Midway Island Hawaiian Monk Seal Captive Care & Release Project
• The Battle of Midway: Turning the Tide in the Pacific, a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan
• Marines at Midway: by Lieutenant Colonel R.D. Heinl, Jr., USMC Historical Section, Division of Public Information Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps 1948,
• Aviation: From Sand Dunes to Sonic Booms, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
• Past residents of Midway Discussion of Midway related topics by former residents and those interested in Midway.
• U.S. Unincorporated Possessions. Accessed 2008-03-26.