Sovereign of the Sky
INTERVIEW Christy Quilliam
PHOTOGRAPHY Laura Findlay, Chris McCormack, Robert Brown, Simone Jackson.
Tōroa is the Maori name for the Southern royal albatross, the magnificent long-distance seabird that nests at the tip of the Otago Peninsula in New Zealand.
Conservation status: Vulnerable.
Paula Cross, a local landowner and farmer who runs a community volunteer group, and
Hoani Langsbury, eco-tourism manager for the Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Trust (OPBT).
The Otago Peninsula Trust (OPT) runs and owns the Royal Albatross Centre where visitors can observe the NZ colony and the many other species of marine animals up close, offering a rare haven for the eco-warrior and those curious to see nature at it’s very best. There exist only two mainland colonies in the world where observers can get up-close first-hand experience of the birds – one at Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula, the other being the Laysan albatross colony in Hawaii.
One of the largest seabirds in the world, the Southern royal albatross is a graceful giant with a wingspan of over 3 metres. Renowned ocean wanderers, they travel vast distances from their breeding grounds to feed, flying an estimated 190,000 kilometres a year. They usually breed on remote offshore islands and spend at least 85% of their lives at sea, well away from land and humans. Royal Albatrosses return to land only to breed and raise their young – one chick every two years, and they usually mate for life.
The Royal Albatross Colony is only one part of the greater picture. Both it, and those who work to ensure it continues to thrive, should be acknowledged and celebrated for the benefits they provide for future generations of man and bird alike.
The takeaway message from this is that we must all do our part – follow the link below to achieve a deeper understanding of the tireless work and efforts being made, to secure a better future for the benefit of all.
If you would love to see the amazing marine life while visiting Dunedin, the Royal Albatross Centre and Clearwater Wildilife Tours will get you up close and personal, so you can view for yourself how a little bit of support can replenish and protect the local marine animals and their habitats.
Featured in It’s Interval RESOLVE – view full story and more from this issue!