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Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross in flight by Maureen Bennetts of Artists & Biologists Unit for Nature for World Albatross Day, 19 June 2025, after a photograph by Holly Parsons
For the sixth year running, ACAP is collaborating with Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN). For ABUN Project #49 the collective’s artists have been requested to produce artworks featuring the Endangered Amsterdam Albatross Diomedea amsterdamensis, endemic to France’s Amsterdam Island, and the Endangered Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri. The artworks will be in support of ACAP’s theme “Effects of Disease” for this year’s World Albatross Day on 19 June (WAD2025), The project commenced on 01 April and will run until 31 May.
At the time of writing, 25 artworks have been submitted, by 13 artists to Project #49. Following the trend of previous collaborations with ABUN, more paintings are expected to arrive by the end of the project. This ACAP Monthly Missive features two of these artworks and Maureen Bennetts, the artist who produced them, along with the two photographers, Karine Delord and Holly Parsons, who took the pictures that inspired Maureen to get out her brushes.
Maureen Bennetts at the Unconformity Art Trail 2023 with her 12-canvas conservation piece illustrating Tasmanian flora and fauna
Maureen Bennetts writes to ACAP Latest News “I live in Queenstown on the West Coast of Tasmania, Australia. Working mostly with acrylics, my focus is on wildlife and the natural world. I came across ABUN some five years ago and was immediately drawn to the concept of artists and biologists working together for the betterment of conservation. It was a good fit for me, a self-taught amateur artist, wanting to have a voice and help in whatever small way possible. My journey in life has been intertwined with the natural world and the obvious progression in my own wildlife and nature art led me to ABUN. I am honoured to be a part of this group.” Maureen Bennetts has been a supporter of ACAP with her artworks since the inaugural World Albatross Day in 2020.
An Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross in flight, photograph by Holly Parsons
Holly Parsons manages the Facebook group Albatross Lovers, described as “a group dedicated to all species of the iconic albatross seabird, as well as the related conservation efforts. We encourage the sharing of albatross depicted in both art and science to celebrate their beauty and learn about their plight.” The private group is an important source of information for ACAP Latest News. In January this year Holly participated in the Flock to Marion AGAIN! 2025 voyage on the MSC Musica when prints she donated of two of her own artworks were auctioned aboard in support of the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project.
Holly Parsons, camera at the ready, aboard the MSC Musica in the Southern Ocean
On hearing that one of her photographs taken on the voyage that had been made available to ABUN Project #49, Holly wrote to ALN “It's awesome!! This is the first time someone has done a painting from one of my photos, so I am honoured!”
An Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross guards its chick on Amsterdam Island, by Maureen Bennetts
Karine Delord is a marine ornithologist who conducts research on penguins and procellariiform seabirds on the French sub-Antarctic islands in the southern Indian Ocean. She a member of the Marine Predators Team at the Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé.
French marine ornithologist, Karine Delord among Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses at the Falaises d'Entrecasteaux on Amsterdam Island
Karine has written (in translation) on the CEBC website “My activities are related to research programs on the ecology of birds and marine mammals in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands where I regularly carry out field missions of two to three months. My activities are organized in four axes: the piloting of data collection campaigns; the design of devices and the collection of demographic, telemetric and population data; the analysis and the valorization of the results within the framework of fundamental research for the conservation of vulnerable species and the management of observatory databases.”
*An Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross guards its chick in the Falaises d'Entrecasteaux colony on Amsterdam Island, photograph by Karine Delord
Karine has supported ACAP for several years by supplying photographs and by advising on texts and design and by carefully editing French wording for the ongoing ACAP Species Infographic series.
The Agreement is grateful for the support of Maureen Bennetts, Karine Delord and Holly Parsons, and looks forward to continuing to work with them in future years.
John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels. 19 May 2025