Military memorial, wildlife at odds in new Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major turning point in World War II’s Pacific theatre. The remote atoll where thousands died is now a delicate sanctuary for millions of seabirds, and a new battle is pitting preservation of its vaunted military history against the protection of its wildlife.
Halfway between the United States and Asia, Midway’s three islets are surrounded by vibrant coral reefs and are home to the biggest colony of Laysan albatrosses on Earth. The large, white and black seabirds pair off and mate for life, nesting and raising their young on Midway.
President Barack Obama recently travelled here to announce the expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, now the world’s biggest oceanic preserve.
“I look forward to knowing that 20 years from now, 40 years from now, 100 years from now, this is a place where people can still come to and see what a place like this looks like when it’s not overcrowded and destroyed by human populations,” Obama said.