by Kay Cooke

Created on: August 21, 2009

The Northern Royal albatross is the second largest species of albatross. The way that it has adapted to 'city living' on the colony at Taiaroa Headland on the Otago Peninsula, Dunedin New Zealand, is a fascinating one. It all started back the 1920s when a confused albatross stumbled upon this tiny headland on the boundary of the city. The albatross found the place conducive to its natural habitat, being a windy spot with strong enough prevailing winds for both take-off and landing, low flora covering rocky ground, and enough shelter for nest-building. It decided to remain and a breeding site was established.

The albatross had a lot to contend with for a start - including humans who thought an albatross egg made a mighty fine egg omelet. However, a gentleman by the name of Lance Richdale made it his mission to protect these birds so that they had the best chance possible to increase in numbers and survive living in such close proximity to humans. He even went so far as to set up a tent right beside the birds through the incubation period and remain there right up until the chicks were big enough to fend for themselves. He kept meticulous records, leg-banding them so that note could be taken of when they left and when they returned. Through public education and lobbying govt. he finally got the necessary support to make it a protected site.

Nowadays the site is a popular tourist destination. It is a protected site and the birds are looked after by rangers especially employed to ensure their breeding program is maintained and monitored. Rigorous and painstaking records are kept. The monitoring is kept as natural as possible so that the birds are not unnecessarily interfered with. An incubator is put into use when necessary. Care is taken that blowfly do not lay eggs on the newborn chicks (one negative from the warmer weather on the peninsula than what is normal for albatrosses). Chicks have also been hand-reared. The albatrosses tolerate the close presence of rangers. By its nature, the albatross is an amiable enough bird that forms lifelong partnerships and a propensity for longevity (one albatross affectionately known as Grandma lived to be over sixty years old). Overall these marine birds have adapted well to city life, both for the benefit of wildlife and the humans who get to see these magnificent birds close-up.

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