@docgovtnz

class="content__text" If you’re a fan of all things David Attenborough like us, you probably tuned in to the latest episode of Frozen Planet II and saw our wonderful Antipodean albatross. The segment followed a 14-year-old male albatross returning to the Antipodes Islands to find a mate. After failing to impress a female albatross with his courtship displays, hope was not lost as he soon sparked a connection with a different albatross. This time though, it was another male. While this partnership may seem like a happy ending for our young albatross, it highlights a much bigger problem for the species. Male pairings are becoming more and more common amongst Antipodean albatross because there are no longer enough females left to breed with. The harsh reality is that there are now three times as many breeding males as there are females. To figure out what was causing this sudden skew in population numbers, DOC scientists attached satellite trackers to some of the albatross, which provided some invaluable information. As oceanic conditions have changed, Antipodean albatross have begun to travel larger distances in search of food. The females, who have smaller wings in comparison to the males, can soar in lighter winds and head further up north. Unfortunately, their new feeding grounds take them far beyond New Zealand waters and bring them closer to long-line fishing fleets. As a result, roughly 2,300 birds aren’t making it back home to the Antipodes every year, and we could lose the species within 30 years. However, there is still hope for our albatross. With the satellite tag data making the reasons for their decline clear, we now have an action plan in place which involves further population monitoring and bycatch mitigation measures. We also advocate for the conservation of Antipodean albatross in international waters through our work in international forums and with other fishing countries. To learn more about Antipodean albatross and the current conservation plan, click here: https://bit.ly/3C1475V To watch the Frozen Planet II clip, click here: https://bbc.in/3Hp1XRj 📷 1: Leon Berard - Antipodean albatross in flight 📷 2: Levi Barton - Juvenile Antipodean albatross

February 06, 2023