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Macronectes giganteus
– Near Threatened
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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AVES
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Order:
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PROCELLARIIFORMES
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Family:
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PROCELLARIIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Macronectes giganteus
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Species Authority:
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(Gmelin, 1789)
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Common Name/s:
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| English | — | SOUTHERN GIANT-PETREL |
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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NT ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2007
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Assessor/s:
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BirdLife International
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Evaluator/s:
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Bird, J., Butchart, S. (BirdLife International Red List Authority) & Sullivan, B. (BirdLife International Global Seabirds Programme)
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Justification:
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Recent surveys suggest this species has a large global population. Declines in the 1990s now appear to have stabilised and the major colonies are now increasing, so it has been downlisted from Vulnerable. However, given the continuing threat posed by longline fisheries, the species has been re-evaluated as Near Threatened.
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History:
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| 1988 | - | Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2004) |
| 1994 | - | Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2004) |
| 2000 | - | Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2000) |
| 2004 | - | Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2004) |
| 2005 | - | Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2005) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Macronectes giganteus breeds on Diego Ramirez and Isla Noir (Chile), Staten Island and islands off Chubut Province (Argentina), the Falkland Islands (to UK), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (to UK), the South Orkney and South Shetland Islands, at islands near the Antarctic Continent and Peninsula, Gough Island (Tristan da Cunha (St Helena to UK)), Prince Edward Islands (South Africa), Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories), Heard Island (Heard and McDonald Islands [to Australia]), Macquarie Island (Australia), and at four localities on the Antarctic Continent including Terre Adélie1,5,6. In the 1980s, the population was estimated at 38,000 pairs10, declining 18% to 31,000 pairs in the late 1990s12. Populations at Heard and Macquarie declined 50% between the 1960s and late 1980s14. Many Antarctic peninsula populations decreased to the mid-1980s (e.g. >50% at Signy)11, though some have since stabilised. The population at Terre Adélie declined from c.80 pairs in the 1960s to 10-15 pairs in 20001. Other colonies have remained stable or increased, e.g. at South Georgia, Possession Island (Crozet)11 and Gough Island15. A comprehensive 2004-2005 survey of all known and suspected breeding colonies on the Falkland Islands found 19,810 breeding pairs20. This dramatic increase over the previous figure of 5,000-10,000 pairs in the Falkland Islands is thought to represent a combination of increased knowledge and a genuine population increase. It also necessitates a review of the species global population estimates. Male and females exhibit clearly defined spatial segregation in their foraging ranges17,18,19. Post-breeding dispersal is extensive, juveniles making substantial migrations9.
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Countries:
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Native:
Antarctica; Argentina (Chubut); Australia (Macquarie Is.); Brazil; Chile; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); French Southern Territories (Crozet Is., Kerguelen); Heard Island and McDonald Islands; Madagascar; Mozambique; Namibia; New Zealand; Norfolk Island; Peru; Saint Helena (Tristan da Cunha); South Africa (Marion-Prince Edward Is.); South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Uruguay
Vagrant:
French Polynesia; Réunion; Seychelles
Regionally extinct:
Bouvet Island
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FAO Marine Fishing Areas:
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Native:
Atlantic-Antarctic; Atlantic-southeast; Atlantic-southwest; Indian Ocean-Antarctic; Indian Ocean-eastern; Indian Ocean-western; Pacific-Antarctic; Pacific-southeast; Pacific-southwest; Pacific-western central
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Population
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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It nests in loose colonies on grassy or bare ground. Average age of first breeding is c.10 years, and mean adult annual survival at South Georgia is 90%8. It feeds on carcasses, cephalopods, krill, offal, discarded fish and refuse from ships, often feeding near trawlers and longliners7.
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System:
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Terrestrial; Marine
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Threats
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Threats:
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A total of 2,000-4,000 giant-petrels were estimated killed in illegal or unregulated Southern Ocean longline fisheries for Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides in 1997-19982,3. Localised decreases have also been attributed to reductions in southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina (an important source of carrion), human disturbance and persecution8,13.
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Conservation measures underway:
CMS Appendix II and ACAP Annex 1. It is monitored at South Georgia, Marion, Crozet and Macquarie Islands, and at Terre Adélie. Several breeding islands are nature reserves; Gough and Macquarie are World Heritage Sites. The population at Gough Island was censused in 2000/2001, and again in 2003, and a monitoring protocol has been devised16.
Conservation measures proposed:
Continue monitoring. Conduct surveys of major breeding sites. Minimise disturbance at breeding sites. Research movements and migration. Promote adoption of best-practice mitigation measures in all fisheries within its range, particularly via existing and proposed intergovernmental mechanisms under auspices of CCAMLR, CMS and FAO4.
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