Indian-Yellow nosed and Amsterdam Albatrosses by Di Roberts, in pastels and pencil

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 week’s grace to allow for late submissions, resulted in 37 artworks becoming available for ACAP’s use.

Watercolour by Flávia Barreto of a banded Amsterdam Albatross tending its chick, after a photograph by Antony Buttet

Within 24 hours of Project #49 commencing the first painting was submitted by Brazilian artist Silvia Abramant.  Her watercolour depicts an Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross tending its chick, inspired by a photograph taken by Dominique Filippi in the Falaises d'Entrecasteaux colony on Amsterdam Island in the southern Indian Ocean.  The albatrosses breeding at this locality have been deleteriously affected by two diseases, avian cholera caused by Pasteurella multocida and erysipelas from Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, influencing the species’ threat classification of Endangered.

Since Sylvia’s artwork, 23 more ABUN artists have contributed to Project #49.  Notably, Flávia Barreto, who also resides in Brazil has submitted no less than five paintings, one of them being included below.  Several other artists submitted more than one painting, including Tasmanian Maureen Bennetts who sent in two works depicting Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses.

The last artwork submitted to ABUN Project #49.  An Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross stands over its chick on Amsterdam Island by Apple Resonance, after a photograph by Karine Delord

Seven artworks were received from young people in India, aged from nine to 12, encouraged by their art teacher and ABUN member Deepti Jain (click here). Deepti, who lives in Mumbai, also contributed her own painting, showing both albatross species.

Digital artwork by Deepti Jain of Amsterdam and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses, after photographs by Jeremy Dechartre and Kirk Zufelt

With Project #49 now ended the intention is to choose six of the 34  paintings, three for each species, to illustrate art posters in support of World Albatross Day.  The posters will be made freely available on this website for downloading and display between now and 19 June.  Watch this space!

You can view all the Project #49 artworks in a photo album on ACAP’s Facebook page.

With thanks to Marion Schon and all the contributing ABUN artists.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels. 06 June 2025, updated 16 June 2025

The Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project is working towards eradicating the sub-Antarctic island’s introduced House Mice that in recent years have taken to attacking and killing threatened albatrosses and petrels.  As part of its ongoing efforts to create awareness and raise funds it will be celebrating World Albatross Day (WAD2025) this month from now until 19 June.

Last year over November and December the MFM Project collaborated on a Special Project entitled “Conservation Campaign for Marion Island” with the international collective Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) to produce artworks depicting Marion’s biota and landscapes to help advertise the island’s conservation importance.  Of the 43 artworks submitted by members of ABUN, seven by different artists have been chosen to illustrate posters, to be made freely available for downloading from a photo album on the MFM Project Facebook page up until 19 June.

The first poster released is by Deepti Jain and is entitled “Albatross: Skyward Grace”.  It depicts an Endangered Grey-headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma flying over Marion’s coast with mouse-free Prince Edward Island on the horizon.  Deepti, who resides in India, describes herself “as a self- taught and realistic artist who loves to work with soft pastels, charcoal and watercolours to create memorable portraits, vivid landscapes, magnificent wildlife, alluring still life and self-depicting illustrations.  My artworks reflect my passion for wildlife, nature and creativity.”

In addition to its WAD2025 poster series, the MFM Project is marking World Albatross Day by running a “double your donation” challenge this month.  All donations received in June will be matched through the generosity of two MFM supporters – for as long as matching funds last (click here).

With thanks to Robyn Adams, Mouse-Free Marion Project Communications Officer and Project Assistant.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 05 June 2025

The Island Invasives 2026 Conference will be held in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa New Zealand over 9-13 February 2026.

“Papers are invited for presentation at the conference, in the form of either a talk or a poster.  Papers may be submitted on any topic relating to invasive alien species on islands, where the term ‘island’ is broadly interpreted in terrestrial, marine and freshwater systems.  The invasive species involved may be flora, fauna or funga.   The goal of the conference is knowledge transfer that enables accelerated uptake of eradication methodologies which will enhance biodiversity and the lives of people on islands around the world. The conference continues its resolute focus on the complete eradication of invasive species of any taxa from islands or island-like bodies.”

The following plenary speakers have been confirmed:

Imogen Bassett - Island Biosecurity

Keith Broome - Technical Planning

Luciana Luna Mendoza - Tropical Eradications

Jessi Morgan - Community Engagement

Nicola Rata-MacDonald - Indigenous Leadership

David Towns - Island Restoration

David Will - Emerging Technologies

Key Submission Dates:

Abstracts due: 27 June 2025
Authors notified: 11 August 2025
Presenter registration deadline: 7 November 2025
Full papers due: 23 January 2026

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 04 June 2025

 A Wandering Albatross stands over its chick on Marion Island, artwork by Lea Finke of Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) for World Albatross Day 2020, after a photograph by Michelle Risi

The Regional Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini 2025 released last month by BirdLife South Africa "presents the most comprehensive and up-to-date regional assessments of bird species across southern Africa".

"Developed through rigorous scientific research and in collaboration with local and international experts, the Red Data Book provides critical insights into the conservation status of birds in the region. It follows the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List framework, adapted to reflect the unique environmental challenges and species diversity of southern Africa,  offering an evidence-based guide to the risks of extinction faced by avian species in the region." [edited]

Bird species that occur regularly within the region considered (which includes surrounding waters and South Africa 's Prince Edward Islands in the southern Indian Ocean) are assessed with a threatened (Critically Endangered (CE), Endangered (E), Vulnerable (V) or Near Threatened (NT) status. Ten threatened/near threatened procellariiform species have been recorded breeding within the region covered,  Nine of these are ACAP-listed albatrosses and petrels that breed regulalrly at the Prince Edward Islands, as listed here.

Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans V

Grey-Headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma E

Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross T. carteri E

Sooty Albatross Phoebetria fusca E

Light-mantled Albatross P, palpebrata V

Northern Giant Petrel  Maconectes halli NT

Southern Giant Petrel M, giganteus  NT

Grey Petrel Procellaria cinerea E

White-chinned Petrel P. aequinocialis V

Five of the nine ACAP-listed species have been assessed with the same level of threat as they have internationally. The exceptions are  Light-mantled Albatross (regionally V, globally NT),  Grey Petrel (regionally E, globally NT), Northern Giant Petrel (regionally NT, globally Least Concern) and Southern Giant Petrel (regionally NT, globally Least Concern).  These higher levels of threat for four species reflects mainly their small populations at the Prince Edward Islands in relation to their global populations.  However, in addition the winter-breeding Grey Petrel is at particular risk from the introduced House Mice on Marion Island (but not on nearby Prince Edward Island where mice do not occur).

Foe each species covred  in the new regional RDB detailed information is given under the broad heads, NAMES, CURRENT ASSESSMENT STATUS, HISTORIC LISTING INFORMATION, REASON FOR INCLUSION, CATEGORY JUSTIFICATION, BIOLOGY & ECOLOGY, THREATS & CONSERVATION and CONTRIBUTORS & REFERENCES.  For each species a full citation is conveniently given, as in this example written by Kim Stevens (who has studied the species on Marion Island towards her PhD)..

Stevens, K.L. 2025. Grey-headed Albatross. In: Lee, A.T.K., Rose, S., Banda, S., Bezeng, S.B., Maphalala, M.I., Maphisa, D.H. & Smit-Robinson, H. (Eds), The 2025 Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. BirdLife South Africa: Johannesburg: Available at: https://www.birdlife.org.za/red-list/grey-headed-albatross/.

"The Albatrosses of the Prince Edward Islands", artwork by Leigh Wolfaardt

 I co-authored the very first South African RDB for birds - a very slim volume - way back in 1976.  New editions by other authors followed in 1984, 2000 and 2015, all in hard copy,  Now online, the fifth edition by Alan Lee, BirdLife South Africa's Science and Innovation Programme Manager, and his team of co-editors, reprents a huge advance in the scholarly interpretation of science and conservation. .

Get online, check it out for free and take the time to browse.  Reckon it's quite the tour de force!

 John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 03 June 2025

 I vvco