---
title: "Keeping Northern Royal Albatrosses cool in the face of El Niño"
---

# Keeping Northern Royal Albatrosses cool in the face of El Niño

Water is planned to be trucked to [Taiaroa Head](http://www.acap.aq/en/news/news-archive/60-2013-news-archive/1307-acap-breeding-sites-no-6-taiaroa-head-pukekura-new-zealand-an-albatross-colony-on-the-mainland?highlight=WyJ0YWlhcm9hIiwibm8iLCInbm8iXQ==) on New Zealand’s Otago Peninsula to help its [Endangered](http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=30005) Northern Royal Albatross *Diomedea sanfordi *chicks survive the high temperatures expected from the current El Niño weather conditions.

 The [Otago Peninsula Trust](http://otagopeninsulatrust.co.nz/) is raising funds to truck in additional water for a recently-installed irrigation system used to spray nests to cool the birds down so they do not overheat.

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/N/Northern_Royal/Northern_Royal_Albatross_500th_chick_by_Lyndon_Perriman.jpg)

 Northern Royal Albatross and chick at Taiaroa Head, photograph by Lyndon Perriman

 Staff and volunteers at the [Royal Albatross Centre](http://albatross.org.nz/) anticipate the first chick of the season to hatch out this week.  Last year there were 26 chicks — the second best season —at Taiaroa Head, this year 29 fertile eggs are being incubated.

 Read more [here](http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/75775191/water-sprays-to-counter-el-nio-threat-to-albatross-chicks).

 For an earlier *ACAP Latest News* item on hot albatrosses click [here](http://www.acap.aq/en/news/latest-news/2382-northern-royal-albatrosses-avoid-the-heat-with-a-little-human-help).

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 13 January 2015*