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title: "The Royal Albatross Centre celebrates World Albatross Day with another life-sized “albicake” and naming of the Royal Cam chick"
---

# The Royal Albatross Centre celebrates World Albatross Day with another life-sized “albicake” and naming of the Royal Cam chick

 ![Royal Albatross Centre 2026 albicake](https://www.acap.aq/images/WAD/Royal_Albatross_Centre_2026_albicake.jpg)*Royal Albatross Centre staff with their WAD2026 albicake*

 In what seems to be becoming an annual event, The [Royal Albatross Centre](https://www.facebook.com/albatrosscentre) at [Taiaroa Head/Pukekura](https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/otago/places/otago-peninsula-area/taiaroa-head-nature-reserve/) on New Zealand’s South Island baked a life-sized “albicake” to celebrate World Albatross Day ([WAD2026](https://www.acap.aq/world-albatross-day/wad2026-habitat-restoration)) and its theme of “Habitat Restoration” last month.  As in [previous years](https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/the-acap-monthly-missive-albicakes-a-developing-world-albatross-day-tradition?highlight=WyJyb3lhbCIsInJveWFscyIsIidyb3lhbCIsImNha2UiXQ==), it depicted an [Endangered](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/northern-royal-albatross-diomedea-sanfordi) Northern Royal Albatross *Diomedea sanfordi*.  Life-sized with outspread wings (that’s three metres!) it seems the cake did not last long before being portioned and consumed by visitors and staff alike.  Watch a fun video of being made and eaten [here](https://www.facebook.com/reel/1415408213795066).

 *![Royalcam chick 2026 Awheo](https://www.acap.aq/images/WAD/Royalcam_chick_2026_Awheo.jpg)  
The 2025/26 Royal Cam chick, “Āwheo”, photograph by Ela Hunt*

 WAD2026 in the Royal Albatross colony was also marked by naming the 2025/26 [Royal Cam](https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/albatrosses/royal-albatross-toroa/royal-cam/meet-the-royal-family/) chick.  “Āwheo means ‘halo’ in Te Reo Māori and was chosen by the Department of Conservation as a fitting name linking to this year’s World Albatross Day theme of “Habitat Restoration”.  For royal albatross, that ‘halo’ is healthy sea and land - clean feeding grounds and safe breeding sites.  Āwheo reminds us to be kaitiaki [guardians] for their home, now and for generations.  It calls us to restore taiao [nature], together.”

 This season’s Royal Cam chick, identified as a male, hatched on 22 January from an egg laid on 06 November 2025.  Its colour-banded parents first bred in 2022 and have fledged one previous chick following losing an egg ([click here](https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/albatrosses/royal-albatross-toroa/royal-cam/meet-the-royal-family/)).  Watch what he is up to via a [24-hour live stream](https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/albatrosses/royal-albatross-toroa/royal-cam/meet-the-royal-family/).

 Baking cakes to mark World Albatross Day commenced with a [competition](https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/announcing-a-world-albatross-day-competition-the-great-albicake-bake-off?highlight=WyJjYWtlIiwid2FkMjAyMCIsIid3YWQyMDIwJyIsIid3YWQyMDIwIiwid2FkMjAyMCdzIl0=) for the inaugural World Albatross Day on 19 June 2020.  The tradition is slowly spreading with albicakes appearing on the table at events marking the day on sub-Antarctic islands and Antarctic research institutes alike. Let’s hope it spreads further and endures!

 *John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 14 July 2026*