Diomedea epomophora

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PROCELLARIIFORMES	DIOMEDEIDAE

Scientific Name:

Diomedea epomophora

Species Authority:

Lesson, 1825

Common Name/s:

English

–

Royal Albatross, Southern Royal Albatross

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable D2 ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Calvert, R., Butchart, S., Bird, J.

Contributor/s:

Robertson, C., Stahl, J., Walker, K., Moore, P., Taylor, G.

Justification:
Although current population trends are assumed to be stable, this species qualifies as Vulnerable because it has a very small range, breeding on four islands, although largely confined to just one, with a fifth mainland population comprising only hybrid birds. It is therefore highly susceptible to stochastic effects and human impacts.

History:

2008	–	Vulnerable
2007	–	Vulnerable
2005	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2003	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Not Recognized
1988	–	Not Recognized

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Diomedea epomophora breeds on Campbell Island (99% of the total population), on Adams, Enderby and Auckland Islands (Auckland Islands group), and on Taiaroa Head (Otago Peninsula, South Island), New Zealand. The Campbell population is estimated at 7,800 breeding pairs¹⁴. In 2001, 69 pairs were present on Enderby¹¹, and c.20 breed on Auckland and Adams Islands combined¹. No pure-bred D. epomophora are present at Taiaroa Head^2,6. The species circumnavigates the Southern Ocean after breeding¹, but is most commonly recorded in New Zealand and South American waters³. Breeding adults forage from the South Island southwards to the Campbell Plateau⁷ and north to the Chatham Rise. Non-breeding birds forage on the west and east coast of South America¹², generally between 30-55°S¹⁴. Whole island censuses on Campbell Island in 1994-1995 and study plot censuses in 1996-1997 indicate that the population is likely to be stable, or possibly increasing⁹.
Countries:	Native: Argentina; Australia; Brazil; Chile; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); French Southern Territories (the); Heard Island and McDonald Islands; New Zealand; Saint Helena; South Africa; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; United States; United States; United States; United States; United States; United States; United States; United States; United States; Uruguay Vagrant: Antarctica; New Caledonia Present - origin uncertain: Bouvet Island
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The Campbell population is estimated at 8,200-8,600 breeding pairs (Moore et al. 1997). In 2001, 69 pairs were present on Enderby (Childerhouse et al. 2003), and c.20 breed on Auckland and Adams Islands combined (Croxall and Gales 1998). An estimate of 8,200-8,600 annual breeding pairs is equivalent to c.28,000-29,500 mature individuals, based on the ratio used by Croxall and Gales (1998).
Population Trend:	Stable

Population:

The Campbell population is estimated at 8,200-8,600 breeding pairs (Moore et al. 1997). In 2001, 69 pairs were present on Enderby (Childerhouse et al. 2003), and c.20 breed on Auckland and Adams Islands combined (Croxall and Gales 1998). An estimate of 8,200-8,600 annual breeding pairs is equivalent to c.28,000-29,500 mature individuals, based on the ratio used by Croxall and Gales (1998).

Population Trend:

Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour Breeding is biennial if a chick is successfully reared. Birds return to colonies in October and eggs are laid from late November to late December. Chicks hatch from early February to early March, and fledge in early October to early December. Age of first return to colonies is at least 5 years and the age of first breeding is thought to be around 6-12 years old¹⁴. Habitat Breeding It nests on tussock grassland slopes, ridges, and plateaus^2,3. Diet It feeds primarily on squid and fish, supplemented by salps, crustacea and carrion⁸. Foraging range During incubation, breeding birds from Campbell Island foraged mostly within 1,250 km of the colonies over shallow (<1500 m deep) shelf and shelf break waters of the Campbell Plateau north to southern New Zealand and over the Chatham Rise, commuting directly to locally productive sites¹⁴.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour Breeding is biennial if a chick is successfully reared. Birds return to colonies in October and eggs are laid from late November to late December. Chicks hatch from early February to early March, and fledge in early October to early December. Age of first return to colonies is at least 5 years and the age of first breeding is thought to be around 6-12 years old¹⁴. Habitat Breeding It nests on tussock grassland slopes, ridges, and plateaus^2,3. Diet It feeds primarily on squid and fish, supplemented by salps, crustacea and carrion⁸. Foraging range During incubation, breeding birds from Campbell Island foraged mostly within 1,250 km of the colonies over shallow (<1500 m deep) shelf and shelf break waters of the Campbell Plateau north to southern New Zealand and over the Chatham Rise, commuting directly to locally productive sites¹⁴.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The population is thought to be recovering after human predation, farming and introduced mammals caused reductions in all populations until the 1930s, extirpating the Enderby and Auckland Islands populations by the late 1800s². Pigs and cats still take eggs and chicks on Auckland Island. On Campbell and Enderby Dracophyllum scrub is spreading, possibly due to climatic warming, and may reduce breeding habitat. A possible decrease in the population during the 1970s - early 1980s coincided with the peak in long-line fishing in the New Zealand region¹². Southern Royal Albatross are caught by longliners and trawlers in Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and off the east and west coasts of South America^6,12,14. Although reported bycatch numbers of D. epomophora in New Zealand fisheries have been relatively low, with 14 individuals observed killed in surface longlines and trawls between 1998 and 2004, observer coverage in this period was less than 5% of total fishing effort. Similarly, mortalities observed in the Argentine longline fleet along the Patagonian Shelf between 1999 and 2001 comprised on average 1.4% (0-6.1%) of the 901 seabirds caught in total. However, the estimated annual seabird bycatch in this fishery may be in the thousands¹⁴.

Major Threat(s):

The population is thought to be recovering after human predation, farming and introduced mammals caused reductions in all populations until the 1930s, extirpating the Enderby and Auckland Islands populations by the late 1800s². Pigs and cats still take eggs and chicks on Auckland Island. On Campbell and Enderby Dracophyllum scrub is spreading, possibly due to climatic warming, and may reduce breeding habitat. A possible decrease in the population during the 1970s - early 1980s coincided with the peak in long-line fishing in the New Zealand region¹². Southern Royal Albatross are caught by longliners and trawlers in Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and off the east and west coasts of South America^6,12,14. Although reported bycatch numbers of D. epomophora in New Zealand fisheries have been relatively low, with 14 individuals observed killed in surface longlines and trawls between 1998 and 2004, observer coverage in this period was less than 5% of total fishing effort. Similarly, mortalities observed in the Argentine longline fleet along the Patagonian Shelf between 1999 and 2001 comprised on average 1.4% (0-6.1%) of the 901 seabirds caught in total. However, the estimated annual seabird bycatch in this fishery may be in the thousands¹⁴.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CMS Appendix II and ACAP Annex 1. Cattle and sheep have been removed from Campbell, and cattle, rabbits and mice have been eradicated from Enderby. Rats were eradicated from Campbell in 2001, and an expedition in 1993 found no evidence of them persisting¹⁰. Almost 36,000 birds have been banded on Campbell since the 1940s, but since 2006 bands are being removed, except in two study colonies. Two study areas on Campbell were monitored annually in the 1990s¹⁰. All islands are nature reserves and, in 1998, were declared a World Heritage Site. Conservation Actions Proposed Census the Campbell and Enderby colonies at 10-year intervals. Monitor vegetation change on Campbell and Enderby and assess its effect on habitat availability. Eradicate pigs and cats from Auckland Island⁶.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CMS Appendix II and ACAP Annex 1. Cattle and sheep have been removed from Campbell, and cattle, rabbits and mice have been eradicated from Enderby. Rats were eradicated from Campbell in 2001, and an expedition in 1993 found no evidence of them persisting¹⁰. Almost 36,000 birds have been banded on Campbell since the 1940s, but since 2006 bands are being removed, except in two study colonies. Two study areas on Campbell were monitored annually in the 1990s¹⁰. All islands are nature reserves and, in 1998, were declared a World Heritage Site.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Census the Campbell and Enderby colonies at 10-year intervals. Monitor vegetation change on Campbell and Enderby and assess its effect on habitat availability. Eradicate pigs and cats from Auckland Island⁶.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2010. Diomedea epomophora. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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