Diomedea exulans

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 exulans

Species Authority:

Linnaeus, 1758

Common Name/s:

English

–

Wandering Albatross

Taxonomic Notes:

Diomedea exulans (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into D. exulans, D. dabbenena and D. antipodensis following Brooke (2004), contra Robertson and Nunn (1998) who also split antipodensis into T. antipodensis and T. gibsoni.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A4bd ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

BirdLife International

Evaluator/s:

Butchart, S. (BirdLife International Red List Authority), Small, C. & Sullivan, B. (BirdLife International Global Seabird Programme)

Justification:
At South Georgia, this species is undergoing a rapid decline over three generations (70 years). On the Crozet and Kerguelen Islands, the populations rapidly declined between 1970-1986, then stabilised, but have recently declined again. Low juvenile recruitment is believed to be a behind the recent decline. Overall, past and predicted future declines amount to a rapid population reduction over three generations, qualifying the species as Vulnerable. Longline fishing is believed to be a main cause of decline in this species, and this threat is ongoing.

History:

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

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Diomedea exulans breeds on South Georgia (Georgias del Sur) (approximately 20% global breeding population), Prince Edward Islands (South Africa) (approximately 40% global population), Crozet Islands and Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories) (approximately 40% global population) and Macquarie Island (Australia) (approximately 10 pairs breeding per year). At South Georgia, the population declined by 1.8% per annum between 1984 and 2004²⁶. The population on Crozet declined by 54% between 1970 - 1986. From the mid 1980s to late 1990s, the Crozet and Prince Edward Islands populations appeared to be stable or increasing^10,19,20,28, but declines have recently been detected^30,31. Recovery is believed to be impeded by a decline in recruitment rate¹⁷. The species disperses over vast areas of the Southern Ocean. A significant proportion of the Crozet and Kerguelen populations disperse into the Pacific and the western coast of South America³¹. Wandering Albatross typically forages in oceanic waters, however, considerable time is spent over shelf areas during certain stages of the breeding season¹⁶. Satellite tracking has revealed that juvenile birds tend to forage further north than adults^17,25, bringing them into greater overlap with longline tuna fleets which may be driving falls in recruitment rates¹⁰. Females may also be at greater risk of being caught in tuna fisheries since they tend to forage further north than males^18,23,24 and show lower survival²¹.
Countries:	Native: Antarctica; Argentina; Australia; Brazil; Chile; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); French Southern Territories (the); Heard Island and McDonald Islands; Madagascar; Mozambique; Namibia; New Zealand; Norfolk Island; Saint Helena; South Africa; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Uruguay Vagrant: Angola; Fiji; French Polynesia; Italy; Japan; Mauritius; Portugal; Réunion; United States
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Atlantic – southwest; Atlantic – southeast; Atlantic – Antarctic; Indian Ocean – western; Indian Ocean – Antarctic; Indian Ocean – eastern; Pacific – Antarctic; Pacific – western central; Pacific – eastern central; Pacific – southwest; Pacific – southeast
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	In 1998, the total annual breeding population was estimated at 8,500 pairs, equivalent to c.28,000 mature individuals (Gales 1998). Current estimates are 1,553 pairs on South Georgia (Georgias del Sur) (Poncet et al. 2006), 1,850 pairs on the Prince Edward Island (Crawford et al. 2003), c.1,600 pairs on Marion Island (P. Ryan in litt.2008), c.2,000 pairs on Iles Crozet, c.1,100 pairs in Iles Kerguelen (Weimerskirch et al. 1997), and 10-12 pairs on Macquarie Island (Terauds et al. 2006), making a total of c.8,114 annual breeding pairs. Using the same ratio as Gales (1998) for estimating the number of mature individuals, this would equate to approximately 27,600 mature individuals.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

In 1998, the total annual breeding population was estimated at 8,500 pairs, equivalent to c.28,000 mature individuals (Gales 1998). Current estimates are 1,553 pairs on South Georgia (Georgias del Sur) (Poncet et al. 2006), 1,850 pairs on the Prince Edward Island (Crawford et al. 2003), c.1,600 pairs on Marion Island (P. Ryan in litt.2008), c.2,000 pairs on Iles Crozet, c.1,100 pairs in Iles Kerguelen (Weimerskirch et al. 1997), and 10-12 pairs on Macquarie Island (Terauds et al. 2006), making a total of c.8,114 annual breeding pairs. Using the same ratio as Gales (1998) for estimating the number of mature individuals, this would equate to approximately 27,600 mature individuals.

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Wandering Albatross nests in open or patchy vegetation near exposed ridges or hillocks². Adults feed at sea mainly on cephalopods and fish, often following ships and feeding on offal and galley refuse^2,3.
Systems:	Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The observed decline of this species is believed to be driven largely by incidental catch in fisheries, which has reduced adult survival and juvenile recruitment. The vast foraging range means that birds encounter many different longline fleets¹⁶. Fisheries were responsible for a 54% decrease in numbers on the Crozet Islands between 1970 and 1986 ¹⁰. The South Georgia population disperses throughout the Southern Ocean during the nonbreeding season, although may be most at risk from longline fisheries operating in the south-west Atlantic throughout the year, whereas the Crozet and Prince Edward Island populations are most vulnerable to pelagic longline fishing in the Indian Ocean and Australian region^13,14. The apparent recovery of populations from the Crozet and Prince Edward Islands during the early 1990s was ascribed to reduced fishing effort and relocation of fisheries away from foraging grounds, however increased effort in the late 1990s may once again be impacting these populations^10,12. The Macquarie population was harvested extensively by sealers, and although it recovered in the early 20th century, experienced subsequent declines that were also attributed to longline fisheries⁸. Chicks are vulnerable to the accumulation of anthropogenic debris and fishing hooks¹⁵. In 2007 a survey of wandering albatross chicks on Bird Island revealed that half had ingested fishing hooks²⁵. On Kerguelen, in some years, certain colonies have complete breeding failure owing to predation of young chicks by cats³¹.

Major Threat(s):

The observed decline of this species is believed to be driven largely by incidental catch in fisheries, which has reduced adult survival and juvenile recruitment. The vast foraging range means that birds encounter many different longline fleets¹⁶. Fisheries were responsible for a 54% decrease in numbers on the Crozet Islands between 1970 and 1986 ¹⁰. The South Georgia population disperses throughout the Southern Ocean during the nonbreeding season, although may be most at risk from longline fisheries operating in the south-west Atlantic throughout the year, whereas the Crozet and Prince Edward Island populations are most vulnerable to pelagic longline fishing in the Indian Ocean and Australian region^13,14. The apparent recovery of populations from the Crozet and Prince Edward Islands during the early 1990s was ascribed to reduced fishing effort and relocation of fisheries away from foraging grounds, however increased effort in the late 1990s may once again be impacting these populations^10,12. The Macquarie population was harvested extensively by sealers, and although it recovered in the early 20th century, experienced subsequent declines that were also attributed to longline fisheries⁸. Chicks are vulnerable to the accumulation of anthropogenic debris and fishing hooks¹⁵. In 2007 a survey of wandering albatross chicks on Bird Island revealed that half had ingested fishing hooks²⁵. On Kerguelen, in some years, certain colonies have complete breeding failure owing to predation of young chicks by cats³¹.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation actions underway: CMS Appendix II and ACAP Annex 1. Population monitoring and foraging studies are being undertaken at South Georgia (Georgias del Sur), the Prince Edward Islands, Crozet, Kerguelen and Macquarie. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has introduced measures which have reduced bycatch of albatrosses around South Georgia by over 99%. Recently, other Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, including the tuna commissions, have taken initial steps to reduce seabird bycatch rates. The Prince Edward Islands are a special nature reserve and Macquarie is a World Heritage Site. Large parts of the breeding colonies on the Crozet and Kerguelen Islandsare now part of a Nature Reserve. Conservation actions proposed: Continue population monitoring programs at all sites to allow assessment of population trends, survival and production rates. Continue tracking studies to determine spatial and temporal overlap with fisheries for populations and life stages where these data do not exist. Promote adoption of best-practice mitigation measures in all fisheries within the species' range, including via intergovernmental mechanisms such as ACAP, FAO and Regional Fisheries Management Organisations.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation actions underway:

CMS Appendix II and ACAP Annex 1. Population monitoring and foraging studies are being undertaken at South Georgia (Georgias del Sur), the Prince Edward Islands, Crozet, Kerguelen and Macquarie. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has introduced measures which have reduced bycatch of albatrosses around South Georgia by over 99%. Recently, other Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, including the tuna commissions, have taken initial steps to reduce seabird bycatch rates. The Prince Edward Islands are a special nature reserve and Macquarie is a World Heritage Site. Large parts of the breeding colonies on the Crozet and Kerguelen Islandsare now part of a Nature Reserve.

Conservation actions proposed:

Continue population monitoring programs at all sites to allow assessment of population trends, survival and production rates. Continue tracking studies to determine spatial and temporal overlap with fisheries for populations and life stages where these data do not exist. Promote adoption of best-practice mitigation measures in all fisheries within the species' range, including via intergovernmental mechanisms such as ACAP, FAO and Regional Fisheries Management Organisations.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Diomedea exulans. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2010.
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