Staffers and guests at this year’s World Albatross Day morning tea at the Australian Antarctic Division on 19 June.  Dr Christine Bogle, ACAP’s outgoing Executive Secretary, holds the World Albatross Day banner on the left, incoming ACAP Executive Secretary, Jonathon Barrington, holds the other end on the right.  ACAP Advisory Committee Chair, Dr Mike Double, is at the back, sixth from the left.  Photograph by Wendy Pyper

In what has become a tradition, the Australian Antarctic Division once more hosted its annual morning tea to celebrate World Albatross Day (WAD2025) on 19 June, marking this year’s theme of “Effects of Disease”.

Dr Julie McInnes, Australian Antarctic Division (Commonwealth) and Dr Sam Thalman, Department of Natural Resources and Environment (Tasmania) each gave a short presentation about Australia's conservation efforts concerning the 18 ACAP-listed albatross species that breed and/or forage within Australia's jurisdiction.

They highlighted the ongoing efforts of scientists to obtain data on the status of Australia's breeding populations of albatrosses.  This work is highly challenging as each breeding population is located on islands that are logistically difficult to access.  Some populations are on islands near Tasmania, while others are found on Australia's remote sub-Antarctic islands.  While highly important long-term studies have been undertaken for several populations, other locations are only visited rarely.  And so, scientists are very excited about the prospect of returning to Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) in the coming Austral Summer 2025/26, which were last visited in 2004.

One of the theme-based cake offerings at the morning tea, depicting the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus - and quite a tasty treat!  Photograph by Jonathon Barrington

The speakers stressed that the threats to albatrosses globally are shifting and changing.  Recognising this year's theme for World Albatross Day, the talks highlighted the existing effects of disease on Australia's albatrosses, particularly on the globally Near Threatened Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta breeding population on Albatross Island, and efforts led by Tasmanian scientists to improve the resilience of this population to disease.  As well, the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) to the sub-Antarctic and Antarctica was identified as a looming threat to Australia's threatened albatross species, as well as to its seabirds generally.  Of concern was the recent spread of HPAI to the Kerguelen Islands, a French sub-Antarctic territory, which are less than 500 km away from HIMI.  Accordingly, the Australian Antarctic Division is putting in place biosecurity and health and safety protocols that will allow population monitoring to go ahead during the upcoming visit to HIMI, even if HPAI is found to have spread to this location.

Albatross-themed confectionary on display at the Australian Antarctic Division’s World Albatross Day tea yesterday, photograph by Wendy Pyper

Dr Chistine Bogle, ACAP’s outgoing Executive Secretary attended the morning tea.  This was Christine's last World Albatross Day event in her official capacity, and she was lauded for her leadership in albatross and petrel conservation on behalf of the 13 ACAP Parties over the past six years.  Christine will be handing over her responsibilities to Jonathon Barrington, the incoming ACAP Executive Secretary, on 1 July 2025.

Jonathon Barrington, Incoming Executive Secretary, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 20 June 2025

The 2024/25 Overwintering Team (G70) on Gough Island with their World Albatross Day banner.  Michelle Risi (front, left) holds a wooden model of an Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross made by Kabelo Moabi (G64)

Today, the 19th of June, is World Albatross Day, the sixth to be held.  It is also the seventh and final day of news articles under the heading ‘WADWEEK' that have been posted to ACAP Latest News.

In May 2019 ACAP's Advisory Committee at its Eleventh Meeting (AC11) held in Brazil declared that a conservation crisis continues to be faced by its 31 listed species, with thousands of albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters dying every year as a result of fisheries operations. To increase awareness of this crisis ACAP inaugurated a World Albatross Day (WAD), to be held annually from 2020 on 19 June, the date the Agreement was signed in 2001.  Each year ACAP has chosen a theme to mark the day.  The inaugural theme was “Eradicating Island Pests”.  “Ensuring Albatross-friendly Fisheries” followed in 2021, then came “Climate Change” in 2022, “Plastic Pollution” in 2023 and "Marine Protected Areas” in 2024.  This year’s theme for ‘WAD2025’ is “Effects of Disease”, which takes especial note of the arrival of the Highly Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus on several sub-Antarctic islands in the Southern Ocean.

The idea of ACAP holding a World Albatross Day was first proposed by Michelle Risi, a long-term supporter of the Agreement with her photographs of ACAP-listed species on Gough and Marion Islands and WAD banners, posters and ‘albicakes’.  Michelle and her husband, Chis Jones are now conducting research on Gough Island in the South Atlantic.  Fittingly, Michelle is the first to report a World Albatross Day event to ACAP this year, posing with a hand-made banner along with her fellow team members on the island.

This year the World Albatross Day logo was produced in Japanese, as well as in the three official ACAP languages of English, French and Spanish

As in recent years two albatross species have been utilized to feature the theme with new infographics, artworks and posters.  They are the Endangered Amsterdam Albatross Diomedea amsterdamensis, endemic to France’s Amsterdam Island, and the Endangered Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri, that breeds on islands in the southern Indian Ocean.  In addition, logos and a media release have been produced, each in four languages.

For the sixth year, ACAP has collaborated with Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) on Project #49, resulting in 37 artworks by 24 artists.  Eight works have been chosen to make downloadable art posters

The seventh art poster to be released is illustrated by Flávia Barreto of Nova Friburgo, Brazil.  Flávia is no stranger to ACAP, having produced artworks for all the World Albatross Days since 2022.  This year she has painted five artworks for Project #49, two of which have been made into posters.  Her second poster, shown here, is of a fledgling Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross seen on Marion Island – where the species does not breed.

From next week, ACAP Latest News will report on WAD2025 activities and events held around the world today and over the weekend.  These include an exhibition in Japan, a webinar and a music video in Australia, free entry to an albatross colony in New Zealand, a beach clean-up in Hawaii, a midwinter party in South Africa, another banner on Marion Island, and efforts to raise awareness and funds for the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion Project in Australia, South Africa and the USA.  Not to mention a couple of ‘albicakes'!  Do let ACAP know of any other events, along with a few words and photographs, so they may also be featured here.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 19 June 2025

For the sixth year running, ACAP has collaborated with the international collective Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) to produce artworks depicting ACAP-listed albatrosses and petrels. This year the featured species are the Endangered Amsterdam Albatross Diomedea amsterdamensis, endemic to France’s Amsterdam Island, and the southern Indian Ocean’s Endangered Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri in support of ACAP’s theme “Effects of Disease” for this year’s World Albatross Day on 19 June (WAD2025).

ABUN Project #49 ran from 01 April until 31 May, and following a grace period to allow for late submissions, resulted in 37 artworks by 25 artists becoming available for ACAP’s use in support of the conservation of albatrosses and petrels.  Seven of the artworks have been chosen to illustrate WAD2025 posters, the first three of which were released yesterday, with three more today.  The remaining art poster will be released tomorrow on World Albatross Day.

Di Roberts

Di Roberts writes to ACAP Latest News: “I live in Bournemouth on the south coast of England in the county of Dorset.  I am a retired art teacher but still teach community groups, mainly senior citizens, but also classes for disabled people.  I specialise in pencil drawing but also love watercolour, pastels, ink drawing, and digital drawing on Procreate on my iPad.  I take commissions, mainly portraiture, mainly in pencil.”

Di continues to say that she has been highly influenced by Kitty Harvill, Co-founder of ABUN, producing artwork for it since its inception. “I enjoy the idea that my art might effect change and greater respect for all creatures.  I tend to put the focused animals into groups so that they never feel alone!”  Her painting in pastels and pencil for WAD2025 depicts a clustered group of Amsterdam and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses, both of which breed on France’s Amsterdam Island in the southern Indian Ocean.

Georgia Feild writes that she is a retired mechanical/electrical systems design engineer who worked on control systems of power plants and aircraft for 40 years while pursuing a career in fine art.  She has had artwork displayed in the USA and internationally, sold under commission and through her studio while teaching art courses to professional artists and college students in the evening and on weekends while carrying full-time employment.

After fulfilling her life goals in science and art she is now semi-retired, teaching STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) classes part time at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and sharing creative expression through visual art with disadvantaged children participating in the "Hearts on Fire" programme in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.  “I still exhibit artwork and participates in collaborative projects with ABUN, donating artwork in support of conservation efforts for many imperilled species.”

Georgia’s artwork, in watercolour, ink and coloured pencil, cleverly combines an Amsterdam Albatross with a background of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae bacteria which has been recorded on Amsterdam Island, placing its albatrosses at risk being infected with the disease erysipelas.

Georgia Feild

Birgit Meyer lives in Schwarzenbach am Wald in Bavaria, Germany.  Her striking painting is of an Amsterdam Albatross "head on", inspired by a photograph taken by Anthony Buttet.  Her artwork is in acrylics on Torchon, a type of watercolour paper known for its distinctive, rough and textured surface.

 Birgit Meyer

  All seven art posters marking WAD2025 will be available for downloading and display later this month.

With thanks to all the artists who contributed to ABUN Project #49, "Effects of Disease".  Thanks also to Marion Schön of ABUN who motivated the project and also designed its banner artwork.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 18 June 2025

For the sixth year running, ACAP has collaborated with the international collective Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) to produce artworks depicting ACAP-listed albatrosses and petrels. This year the featured species are the Endangered Amsterdam Albatross Diomedea amsterdamensis, endemic to France’s Amsterdam Island, and the southern Indian Ocean’s Endangered Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri in support of ACAP’s theme “Effects of Disease” for this year’s World Albatross Day on 19 June (WAD2025).

ABUN Project #49 ran from 01 April until 31 May, and following a grace period to allow for late submissions, resulted in 37 artworks by 25 artists becoming available for ACAP’s use in support of the conservation of albatrosses and petrels.

Seven of the artworks have been chosen to illustrate WAD2025 posters, the first three of which are depicted here. The remaining four posters will be released over the next two days. The first, shown above, is by Anju Panwar Rajesh, a freelance wildlife and bird artist who resides in Mumbai, India. Her artwork depicts repeated Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses surrounded by a swirling wave.  It is fittingly entitled "Effects of Disease".

Anju Panwar Rajesh

The ABUN website says of Anju: “Her talent for art and love for nature beautifully transforms into story telling paintings in their natural habitats.  Birds fascinate her.  The dedication and passion for wildlife conservation literally runs in her blood”.  Anju paints in a varied array of media, producing landscape, abstract, realistic and low-relief textured artworks.

The second poster is by Flávia Barreto, who  is no stranger to ACAP, having produced artworks for all the World Albatross Days since 2022., her paintings have been the subject of ACAP Latest News articles for both WAD2022 and WAD2023.  Flávia lives in Nova Friburgo, Brazil and describes herself as an amateur artist and a retired civil servant.  After retirement she decided to dedicate her life to art.  Being a lover of nature and animals, her art and interests have gradually evolved to drawing and painting threatened species (click here). She paints in watercolour, gouache and acrylics. Her painting is of an Amsterdam Albatross tending its chick, after a photograph by Anthony Buttet.

Flávia Barreto in a garden setting in Brazil

The third poster is by Andrea Siemt from Germany.  Her colourful Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross preeening its downy chick is after a photograph taken on Amsterdam Island by Dominique Filippi.

 Andrea Siemt writes to ACAP Latest News about herself: "I  live near Heidelberg in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Drawing and painting, along with photography, are my main hobbies.  About nine years ago, I discovered ABUN and have since regularly contributed my work, in charcoal, watercolour, or pastel,  to animal welfare projects".  Andrea has previously painted albatrosses for earlier World Albatross Days.

Andrea Siemt

 All seven art posters marking WAD2025 will be available for downloading and display later this month.

With thanks to all the artists who contributed to ABUN Project #49, "Effects of Disease". Thanks also to Marion Schön of ABUN who motivated the project and also designed its banner artwork depicted above.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 17 June 2025