Who’s The Daddy? Cahow Love Triangles and Secret Siblings

Scandal in Burrow 2 ! Affair !! Cahow bar-room brawl !! DNA test for paternity!! Chick may have half sibling in another nest ! Jeremy is the new Jerry Springer !! All explained below in sordid detail !!

This is a perfect use case for BioQuest’s Population Genomics:

The Bermuda Petrel, or Cahow, has been called a “Lazarus species” for good reason. Thought extinct for over 300 years, its rediscovery in 1951 sparked one of the most remarkable conservation stories in history. By blending decades of meticulous fieldwork with cutting-edge technology, scientists have brought this critically endangered bird back from the brink. But as Cahow populations climb past 165 breeding pairs, a new question has emerged, one that combines livestream drama, detailed lineage tracking, and genomics: “Who’s the daddy?”  

This is the story of how conservation genomics, livestream cameras, and old-fashioned detective work are unraveling mysteries of Cahow parentage, and what it means for the species’ survival.

Chapter 1: Cahow Comeback Chronicles

The Cahow’s haunting cries once echoed across Bermuda’s islands, earning it a ghostly reputation among early Spanish and Portuguese sailors, giving the island the name “Isle of Devils” and is one of the reasons they never settled. By the early 1600s, however, human settlement (from a British shipwreck) and invasive predators drove the species to near extinction. For centuries, the bird was presumed lost, until 1951, when Bermudian teenager David Wingate joined ornithologists on an expedition that uncovered 18 surviving pairs nesting on remote islets.  

Wingate devoted his life to saving the Cahow, pioneering habitat restoration techniques and creating artificial burrows to protect nests. His successor, Jeremy Madeiros, took over in 2001 and expanded these efforts with translocation projects that moved chicks to safer locations on Nonsuch Island. Today, thanks to their combined efforts, the Cahow population is steadily growing, but with growth comes new challenges.

Chapter 2: Meet Sampson >The Star of Burrow #832

One of Madeiros’ most famous success stories is “Sampson” (band no. E0174), a male Cahow he translocated as a chick in 2005. After spending three years at sea - a rite of passage for young Cahows, Sampson returned to Nonsuch Island in December 2008 and claimed Burrow #832 as his own. He soon paired with Susie (band no. E0172), another translocated bird from his cohort. Over 14 years together, Sampson and Susie raised an impressive 12 chicks, a breeding success rate far above average for the species.

 But in the fall of 2023, Susie failed to return from her oceanic migration and was presumed lost at sea. Sampson waited alone for a few weeks in Burrow #832 until a younger female arrived. After some initial hesitation (and territorial disputes), Sampson accepted her as his new mate. Their first egg failed in the Spring of 2024, which is quite common for a female Cahow’s first egg, but they paired up again the following fall and by March 2025, their first chick hatched—a moment broadcast live to thousands of viewers via the CahowCam livestream.

 However, there was one twist: before Sampson’s return to Burrow #832 in the fall, his new mate had been observed mating with another male on camera. This raised an intriguing question: who’s the father of their chick?

 Madeiros’s detailed observations thicken the plot even further as the interloping male was later found further up the hill, in his original nest, with his original mate, where they produced another chick, potentially its half-sibling…

Chapter 3: Tech Meets Tradition

The mystery of Burrow #832 wouldn’t even exist without Jean-Pierre Rouja’s technological innovations. Founder of Nonsuch Expeditions, Rouja has spent over a decade developing tools to monitor Cahows without disturbing them. His breakthrough came in 2011 with the launch of CahowCam Livestream Platform, custom built infrared cameras installed in artificial burrows that allow scientists and viewers worldwide to observe nesting behaviors in real time.

“Before the CahowCam, we could only guess what happened inside those burrows,” Rouja explained. Since the start of the project 10’s of millions of minutes of Cahow video have been watched by our Team, dedicated volunteers, and followers from around the World, allowing us to observe their intimate natural and at times surprising nesting behaviors, and now we’re seeing things we never imagined—like this year’s drama in Burrow #832.”

Rouja’s tech arsenal doesn’t stop at cameras, as he develops and deploys tools to solve conservation challenges, by himself, and in collaboration with global partners. From an AI-assisted rodent detection system with The Nature Conservancy, to GPS tracking devices with Bermuda Petrel BioMonitoring Project, and bioacoustic monitoring projects with Cornell Lab of Ornithology, he has pushed the boundaries of what conservation technology can achieve. Most recently, he partnered with Dr. Carika Weldon to co-found BioQuest and integrate genomics into conservation efforts.

Chapter 4: Genomics Solves “Who’s Your Daddy”

Enter Dr. Carika Weldon, who spun off the BioQuest NGO from her Human Health focused Genomics startup CariGenetics, the first Oxford Nanopore-certified sequencing labs in the Caribbean region. In collaboration with Rouja, and Madeiros, Weldon is leading a groundbreaking genomic population study of the entire Cahow species—a project that aims to sequence DNA from every individual bird.

“For a species thought extinct for centuries, understanding their genetic diversity is crucial,” Weldon explained. “It helps us answer questions about their resilience, and yes, it can also tell us who fathered that chick in Burrow #832.”

By analyzing DNA samples from Sampson’s chick and potential sibling, and comparing them to known genetic profiles within the population (including that of the interloping male), Weldon’s team will determine paternity with absolute certainty. But this isn’t just about solving one family drama, it’s about unlocking deeper insights into Cahow biology.

“Genomics allows us to see patterns we couldn’t before,” Weldon said. “Why do some pairs succeed while others fail? How did they survive as a few dozen pairs for centuries of near-extinction without becoming terminally inbred? These are questions only genetics can answer.”

Chapter 5: The Bigger Picture

The genomic study isn’t just about answering “who’s your daddy” questions, it’s about future-proofing an entire species against climate change and other threats. For example, genomic data could have influenced past translocation decisions by prioritizing genetically distinct indiviuduals for translocation, and colony expansion.

 Rouja sees genomics as transformative for biodiversity conservation, especially for Critically endangered Species in need of better informed management decisions for their recovery: “By layering genetic sequencing onto Jeremy’s unparalleled field dataset, which includes detailed logs of virtually every nest, pair, and chick in these new colonies since day one, we’re unlocking secrets hidden just out of view. ”

Madeiros agrees: “Every chick represents hope, but now we have tools like genomics to make sure that hope is grounded in science.”

The Cahow recovery project exemplifies how history, science, and technology can converge to save a species once lost to time. From Wingate’s pioneering work in the mid-20th century to Madeiros’ field expertise, to Rouja’s tech innovations today, and Weldon’s sequencing and analysis efforts, this Lazarus species continues its upward trajectory, a beacon of hope for conservationists worldwide.

 As Rouja aptly put it: “For outreach and engagement, the public interest in genomics has started with the question about who fathered one chick, but it’s really about understanding an entire species.” For Sampson’s chick in Burrow #832, and for nature, the best chapters are still ahead.

The first phase of this project was made possible by a BioQuest grant from Global Atlantic, and the 2024 Cultural Apprenticeship Program that supported BioQuest Technician Haley Raynor’s work with Jeremey Madeiros and J-P Rouja. We are actively looking for a sponsor of the upcoming population study, please contact us for more information.