ACAP’s latest collaboration with Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature results in 34 artworks in support of World Albatross Day 2025

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 34 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