The Big Bird Race

Back in 2004 Ladbrokes teamed up with Conservation Foundation and the Tasmanian State Government to come up with an idea to help bring the plight of the Tasmanian Shy Albatross into the public domain.

It is estimated that 300,000 seabirds die every year from poorly managed fishing techniques, including longlining (a practice in which a line of up to 130km is dragged behind a boat with thousands of hooks - the birds get caught and are dragged underwater) and many albatross species are facing direct extinction as a result. Ladbrokes were looking for something to help capture the public's imagination and thus...

The Big Bird Race was born!

During the summer of 2004, 17 Tasmanian Shy Albatross were electronically tagged to allow Ladbrokes to follow their migration across the Southern Ocean. A host of celebrities were enlisted, including the likes of Ronnie O'Sullivan and Steve Davis, Johnny Vegas, Sir David Attenborough, Frankie Dettori and Ellen McArthur, and the book was opened!

Punters and wildlife enthusiasts alike could bet on which bird they thought would win the race, with constant updates available at Ladbrokes.com via the unique Interactive Map. All proceeds generated during the race were donated to the 'Save the Albatross' campaign, while punters were also given the option of donating their winnings to the fund.

The race was simply to help the survival of the birds, no matter what the outcome. After a long journey, a Tasmanian Shy Albatross called Aphrodite, sponsored by Jerry Hall, eventually crossed the finish line first. Aphrodite's flight provided irrefutable evidence of the track taken by juvenile Shy Albatrosses on their first migration across the Indian Ocean, allowing a far clearer picture of the designation of potential fishing conservation zones.

The Renewal of the Big Bird Race

After the success of the race in 2004, it was decided to stage the race again in 2005 with similar rules, but sadly the success did not continue. Once again a field of 17 Tasmanian Shy Albatross were electronically tagged and the betting begun, however all of the birds went missing off the coast of Australia.

The question was, had the birds fallen victim to longlining or had the tags simply stopped working? Sadly we will never know. Ultimately the race was a success. It helped bring the plight of the Tasmanian Shy Albatross into the public eye and now, with the help of the money raised, the 'Save the Albatross' campaign can work towards a brighter future for the birds.