On November 7, 2025, we announced our 3-to-1 Match to fund the critical annual albatross census along with the 2nd year of a new drone research project. Your generous donations tripled your impact by unlocking $75,000 for Midway's Albatross!
A substantial part of that was made possible by a generous $50,000 grant from the Marisla Foundation given in support of the three-year effort to revolutionize seabird monitoring using drones and AI.
Great news! As of November 25, 2025, we have surpassed our goal and have met our match! We were able to secure funds for Midway’s needs in 2026, including the drone project and Annual Albatross Census. Mahalo for your generosity in helping us reach our grand total of $100,000!
Why Your Support Matters NOW:
- Modernizing Conservation: The project, led by researchers Anna Vallery and Dan Link, aims to replace the current, intensive ground-based census (over 600,000 nests counted last year across 1,500 acres!) with more efficient, less disruptive drone technology.
- The Match Challenge: FOMA is adding $25,000 to the Marisla grant. We asked you, our closest supporters, to help us raise the final funds needed. Because of your donations and memberships, we hit our $100,000 goal!
- Support the Hatch Year 2026 Annual Counters: This annual count is critical for the Refuge to get accurate albatross nesting counts, and the drone research can only be initially ground truthed if carried out concurrently.
If you didn't get a chance to help with this 3:1 match, don't worry – it's never been a better time to become a member of FOMA or donate to support Midway's conservation efforts.
Enjoy the video below of the Mōlī (Laysan Albatross) feeding their chick on Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll).