Science News

The Ultimate Flutter

Fancy laying a bet on a 6000 mile race? And we’re not talking about horses or people or even cars, this race is being flown by a group of migrating albatrosses; (those massive sea birds that don’t come in strawberry flavour according to Monty Python). Bookkeepers Ladbrokes are teaming up with the UK’s Conservation Foundation to help raise money for conservation projects and generate public interest by betting on birds. 18 young albatrosses have been fitted with electronic tags and they will be tracked on their great journey from Tasmania to South Africa- punters can bet on a range of races between the birds, and they can track the progress of their bird via satellite. Albatrosses and many other great sea birds are becoming endangered because each year hundreds of thousands of them are killed accidentally by fishing boats in the southern ocean- birds are attracted to the long lines that the fishing boats throw out to catch fish with, and they get tangled up in them and die. So, help to save these threatened birds by placing your bets on the Ultimate Flutter.

1st Feb 2004