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Summary
The Campbell albatross (Thalassarche impavida) is endemic to New Zealand and breeds only at Campbell Island and its offshore Isle de Jeanette Marie. Campbell Island is also the only New Zealand breeding site of the grey-headed albatross (T. chrysostoma), which otherwise has a circumpolar breeding distribution around the Southern Ocean. These species of albatross form mixed breeding colonies and have a similar breeding season.
Counts of nests in photographs taken during the period 2006-2012 were compared to those reported for the period 1940s to 1997 by Moore (2004) for grey-headed albatross and Campbell albatross at Campbell Island. Photographs of known colonies were taken from established long-term photopoints during late October and early November in both 2011 and 2012. The numbers of apparent occupied nests in specific areas were counted and added to a spreadsheet of counts provided by the Department of Conservation. Trends in the numbers of the two species of albatross were analysed, with data inputted separately for colonies dominated by grey-headed albatrosses and Campbell albatrosses.
The results indicated uncertain trends for both species for the period 1995-97 to 2006-2012, with estimated numbers of grey-headed albatrosses showing a non-significant increase and those of Campbell albatrosses a non-significant decrease.
Publication information
This report was commissioned by the Department of Conservation, Project POP2012-04.
By Paul Sagar.