---
title: "Birds and bones: ACAP delegates have a day off in Wellington before adopting the Advisory Committee report"
---

# Birds and bones: ACAP delegates have a day off in Wellington before adopting the Advisory Committee report

Delegates to the Albatross and Petrel Agreement's 10th Meeting of its Advisory Committee ([AC10](https://www.acap.aq/en/documents/advisory-committee/ac10)) being held in Wellington, New Zealand had a welcome day off from meeting discussions yesterday.

 In the morning we visited the [Zealandia Eco-sanctuary](http://www.visitzealandia.com/)in the hills above Wellington. The sanctuary is encircled by a predator-proof fence to keep out feral cats, rodents and Common Brushtail Possums *Trichosurus vulpecula* and now supports a number of species of reintroduced land birds among regenerating forest. Good views of the Kākā *Nestor meridionalis*, a New Zealand endemic parrot, at feeders kept the cameras going. The guided tour was followed by a pleasant buffet lunch in the sanctuary’s restaurant.

 Zealandia's anti-predator fence is very similar to that erected in 2011 to protect Laysan Albatrosses *Phoebastria immutabilis* (ACAP listed) and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters *Ardenna pacifica* at [Kaena Point](https://www.acap.aq/en/news/news-archive/60-2013-news-archive/1333-acap-breeding-sites-no-14-kaena-point-oahu-hawaii-protects-its-laysan-albatrosses-and-wedge-tailed-shearwaters-behind-a-predator-proof-fence?highlight=WyJrYWVuYSIsInBvaW50IiwicG9pbnQncyIsInBvaW50JywiLCJubyIsIidubyIsImthZW5hIHBvaW50Il0=) on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Meetings/Zealandia1.jpg)

 Zealandia's anti-predator fence; Richard Phillips (UK) and Joseph Fette (USA) in conversation

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Meetings/Zealandia2.jpg)

 USA observer to ACAP, Beth Flint from Hawaii checks her bag, before entering the sanctuary

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Meetings/Zealandia3.jpg)

 [Mamaku or Black Tree Ferns *Cyathea medullaris*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyathea_medullaris)overhead

  In the afternoon we headed to the collections facility of the [Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa](https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/). Our museum hosts, Colin Miskelly, Alan Tennyson and Susan Waugh had set out a table of procellariiform study skins for us to view that included ACAP-listed great albatrosses and smaller mollymawks, as well as all seven prion species, including the recently described (and [globally Endangered](http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/macgillivrays-prion-pachyptila-macgillivrayi)) [MacGillivray’s Prion](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-014-1473-2) *Pachyptila macgillivrayi* from Gough Island.

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Meetings/Museum1.jpg)

 AC10 Delegates view a table of procellariiform skins at Te Papa, including ACAP-listed albatrosses and petrels

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Meetings/Museum2.jpg)

 All seven prion species in a row; McGillivray's is second from the right

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Meetings/Museum3.jpg)

 Quorum?  ACAP Taxonomy Working Group members Mark Tasker and Alan Tennyson consider which is a Shy and which a White-capped Albatross with Colin Miskelly

 Highlights of the tour included being shown bones of extinct New Zealand moas (Dinornithiformes), a skull and claw of a Haast’s Eagle *Harpagornis moorei* (once the world’s largest eagle) and, unexpectedly, elephant bird *Aepyornis* bones from Madagascar.

 Today the Advisory Committee report will be adopted, closing two weeks of meetings. Then home from us all!  However, I first fly to [Great Barrier Island](https://www.acap.aq/en/news/news-archive/60-2013-news-archive/1361-acap-breeding-sites-no-24-great-barrier-aotea-and-little-barrier-hauturu-islands-new-zealand-only-breeding-sites-of-the-black-petrel?highlight=WyJncmVhdCIsIidncmVhdCIsImJhcnJpZXIiLCJiYXJyaWVyJ3MiLCJubyIsIidubyIsImdyZWF0IGJhcnJpZXIiXQ==) tomorrow to visit the breeding site of the ACAP-listed and [globally Vulnerable](http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/22698150) [Black Petrel](http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/black-petrel)*Procellaria parkinsoni*.  Looking forward to it.

 With thanks to Igor Debski, Department of Conservation and Colin Miskelly, Alan Tennyson and Susan Waugh, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 15 September 2017*