Satellite tracking New Zealand’s Black Petrels on their pre-laying exodus

 Black Petel tagging 2020 map

Satellite tracks of Black Petrels prior to egg laying

Elizabeth ‘Biz’ Bell, Kelvin Floyd and Samantha Ray of Wildlife Management International have recently attached satellite transmitters (Telonics Inc TAV-2617) to 10 ACAP-listed Black Petrels Procellaria parkinsoni in the Mount Hobson /Hirakimata study colony on New Zealand’s Great Barrier Island/Aotea.  The devices are currently tracking pre-laying exodus flights of the nationally and globally Vulnerable petrel, endemic to New Zealand.

Black Petel tagging 2020

A satellite tracker is attached to a Black Petrel

The Black Petrel is one of two ACAP-listed species up for election this year in New Zealand’s annual Bird of the Year competition (‘BOTY2020’); the other being the Antipodean Albatross Diomedea antipodensis.  The competition is now open until 15 November.  You can vote preferentially for up to five birds, so vote for both!

Black Petel tagging 2020 map 2 

"The light green bird (H-34843) is just less than halfway between New Zealand and South America sitting currently at 4200 km away from Great Barrier Island - not too far from Rapa Iti (French Polynesia)"

Information from Wildlife Management International’s Facebook Page and 'Biz' Bell, with thanks.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 09 November 2020

The Agreement on the
Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels

ACAP is a multilateral agreement which seeks to conserve listed albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters by coordinating international activity to mitigate known threats to their populations.

About ACAP

ACAP Secretariat

119 Macquarie St
Hobart TAS 7000
Australia

Tel: +61 3 6165 6674