Wandering Albatross on Prion Island, photograph by Anton Wolfaardt 

A draft biodiversity action plan has been produced for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Georgias del Sur y Islas Sandwich del Sur)*.  The plan covers the period 2016 to 2020.

The plan gives the overall goal of environmental management on the identified islands as to conserve the environment, minimise human impacts and, where practicable, restore the native biodiversity and habitats.  “To this end, this plan seeks to ensure that species and habitats receive adequate protection and that all current and future activities … are managed sustainably and with the interests of protecting the environment at their heart.”

Among a number of objectives, the plan lists the following of significance to the conservation of ACAP-listed species:

Review the plan for the implementation of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels (ACAP) on a regular (five-year) basis;

Undertake actions described in the ACAP implementation plan and report as required to the ACAP Secretariat; and

In light of on-going population declines, develop species action plans for Black-browed, Grey-headed and Wandering Albatrosses.

In relation to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) the draft plan states:

“Continue to rigorously implement and refine mitigation measures to avoid the incidental mortality of seabirds, including working with ACAP…”.

Other issues covered by the biodiversity plan include monitoring the recovery of the native biota after removal of alien species such as rodents; enhanced quarantine and biosecurity procedures to halt reintroductions; and environmental clean–ups coupled with combatting pollution. 

It is intended the draft plan will be finalized this year.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 29 February 2016

*A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Georgias del Sur y Islas Sandwich del Sur) and the surrounding maritime areas.

Shy Albatross on Australia's Albatross Island, photograph by Drew Lee

The Australasian Seabird Group (ASG) offers small grants to support projects of current science students or those who have recently (within three years) finished postgraduate studies in seabirds.

Students attempting Honours, Masters or PhD projects that contribute to the knowledge or conservation of seabirds in Australia and New Zealand will be considered.  Preference will be given to applicants who are members of the ASG but those who are members of Birdlife Australia or the Ornithological Society of New Zealand may also apply.

Grants will not exceed $A500.  No more than two Project Support Grants will be made in any calendar year.

Applications should be made to Nicholas Carlile, Secretary, Australasian Seabird Group (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).  Please contact Nicholas for full details of the application process.  Grant applications will be assessed by a panel of the ASG Committee.  Their decision will be final.  The closing date is 25 March 2016.

The Australasian Seabird Group is a special interest group of BirdLife Australia and the Ornithological Society of New Zealand.

With thanks to Nicholas Carlile.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 26 February 2016

Peter Ryan (FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa) and colleagues have published in Volume 28 of Seabird, the annual journal of the (UK) Seabird Group, on exceptionally long chick-rearing periods in Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans at Marion Island and a Sooty Albatross Phoebetria fusca at Gough Island.  The paper concludes that “additional observations may shed further light on this puzzling phenomenon.”

Sooty Albatross chick on Gough Island, photograph by Marienne de Villiers

Reference:

Ryan, P.G., Ferreira, C., Perold, V., Osborne, A. & Jones, C.W. 2015.  Failure to launch: evidence of protracted parental care in albatrosses.  Seabird 28: 48-51.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 25 February 2016

A total of 110 ACAP-listed and Vulnerable Chatham Albatross Thalassarche eremita chicks was moved from the Pyramid, the species’ sole breeding site, to Point Gap on the main Chatham Island in 2014 and 2105 in an effort to establish a new breeding colony.  The chicks were hand fed until they fledged, only six not surviving due to heat stress (click here).

Collection day: Chatham Albatrosses with large chicks on The Pyramid

The translocated chicks settle in on their bucket nests at Point Gap among models of adults

Photographs by the Chatham Islands Taiko Trust

The Chatham Islands Taiko Trust successfully transferred a further 50 chicks for the third year of the project last week on the Pyramid to Point Gap.  It is intended to continue translocations for a further two years.

Access past news about the translocation project here.  More photos of the 2016 translocation are on the Trust’s Facebook page.

Reference:

Bell, M. 2015.  Establishing a new colony of Chatham Island Albatross in the Chatham Islands, New Zealand.  Sea Swallow 64: 4-8.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 24 February 2016