Amazing week long crossing of Greenland icecap by lone white-fronted goose

17/09/2008 22:59:28 A Greenland white-fronted goose that is being tracked with the aid of a satellite-tag has shown incredible endurance by taking a week to cross the treacherous two mile high Greenland ice cap, almost certainly without food or water.

September 2008. The goose, known as Speedy, was fitted with a GPS transmitter by scientists from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in February as he wintered on the Solway Firth near WWT Caerlaverock in Scotland. Weather conditions clearly affected the length of time he took to cross the ice-cap, but it is almost inconceivable that he was able to take seven days to fly and walk across one of the wider parts of the ice cap without any food and probably without water. This incredible feat of endurance further highlights the importance of plentiful feeding conditions at other sites along the flyway.

Bad weather
When analysing the pressure charts over this period, it appears Speedy had wind, rain and even snow against him which will have made the journey take longer. He has also taken a more northerly route than other geese tracked by WWT which will have ultimately taken him over one of the highest points of the ice cap as well as through some of the lowest temperatures.

Walked some of the way
The GPS data shows Speedy actually walked the last part of the route and this data has mapped the shape of the ice cap in that area in some detail.

Dr Larry Griffin, senior research officer at the WWT Caerlaverock explains: "I don't think we've witnessed this sort of endurance before except from Ralph Fiennes! What this journey will have taken out of Speedy is anyone's guess, but hopefully he will find good feeding on the east coast of Greenland to allow him to complete the next 450km to Iceland."

More about WWT.