Justification At South Georgia, this species is undergoing a rapid decline over three generations (70 years). On the Crozet and Kerguelen Islands, the populations rapidly declined between 1970-1986, then stabilised, but have recently declined again. Low juvenile recruitment is believed to be a behind the recent decline. Overall, past and predicted future declines amount to a rapid population reduction over three generations, qualifying the species as Vulnerable. Longline fishing is believed to be a main cause of decline in this species, and this threat is ongoing.

Family/Sub-family Diomedeidae

Species name author Linnaeus, 1758

Taxonomic source(s) AERC TAC (2003), Brooke (2004), Robertson and Nunn (1998), SACC (2005 + updates)

Taxonomic note Diomedea exulans (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into D. exulans, D. dabbenena and D. antipodensis following Brooke (2004), contra Robertson and Nunn (1998) who also split antipodensis into T. antipodensis and T. gibsoni.

Identification 115 cm. Huge albatross with variable plumage, whitening with age. Juvenile chocolate-brown with white face mask, white underwing with black tip and trailing margin. Underparts become pure white. On upperparts, back whitens first, followed by crown and rump, white wedge forms in centre upperwing, extending to coverts. Black tips remain on outer tail feathers. Pink bill and flesh legs. Similar spp. Enlargement of white upperwing area is species-specific: D. exulans central wedge, Southern Royal Albatross D. epomophora from forewing, Northern Royal Albatross D. sanfordi only in scapular area. Probably, indistinguishable from recently split Tristan D. dabbenena and Antipodean D. antipodensis albatrosses at-sea.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

26,000

decreasing

64,700,000 km²

No

Range & population Diomedea exulans breeds on South Georgia (Georgias del Sur) (approximately 20% global breeding population), Prince Edward Islands (South Africa) (approximately 40% global population), Crozet Islands and Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories) (approximately 40% global population) and Macquarie Island (Australia) (approximately 10 pairs breeding per year). At South Georgia, the population declined by 1.8% per annum between 1984 and 2004²⁶. The population on Crozet declined by 54% between 1970 - 1986. From the mid 1980s to late 1990s, the Crozet and Prince Edward Islands populations appeared to be stable or increasing^10,19,20,28, but declines have recently been detected^30,31. Recovery is believed to be impeded by a decline in recruitment rate¹⁷. The species disperses over vast areas of the Southern Ocean. A significant proportion of the Crozet and Kerguelen populations disperse into the Pacific and the western coast of South America³¹. Wandering Albatross typically forages in oceanic waters, however, considerable time is spent over shelf areas during certain stages of the breeding season¹⁶. Satellite tracking has revealed that juvenile birds tend to forage further north than adults^17,25, bringing them into greater overlap with longline tuna fleets which may be driving falls in recruitment rates¹⁰. Females may also be at greater risk of being caught in tuna fisheries since they tend to forage further north than males^18,23,24 and show lower survival²¹.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: Wandering Albatross nests in open or patchy vegetation near exposed ridges or hillocks². Adults feed at sea mainly on cephalopods and fish, often following ships and feeding on offal and galley refuse^2,3.

Threats The observed decline of this species is believed to be driven largely by incidental catch in fisheries, which has reduced adult survival and juvenile recruitment. The vast foraging range means that birds encounter many different longline fleets ¹⁶. Fisheries were responsible for a 54% decrease in numbers on the Crozet Islands between 1970 and 1986 ¹⁰. The South Georgia population disperses throughout the Southern Ocean during the nonbreeding season, although may be most at risk from longline fisheries operating in the south-west Atlantic throughout the year, whereas the Crozet and Prince Edward Island populations are most vulnerable to pelagic longline fishing in the Indian Ocean and Australian region^13,14. The apparent recovery of populations from the Crozet and Prince Edward Islands during the early 1990s was ascribed to reduced fishing effort and relocation of fisheries away from foraging grounds, however increased effort in the late 1990s may once again be impacting these populations^10,12. The Macquarie population was harvested extensively by sealers, and although it recovered in the early 20th century, experienced subsequent declines that were also attributed to longline fisheries⁸. Chicks are vulnerable to the accumulation of anthropogenic debris and fishing hooks¹⁵. In 2007 a survey of wandering albatross chicks on Bird Island revealed that half had ingested fishing hooks²⁵. On Kerguelen, in some years, certain colonies have complete breeding failure owing to predation of young chicks by cats³¹.

Conservation measures underway CMS Appendix II and ACAP Annex 1. Population monitoring and foraging studies are being undertaken at South Georgia (Georgias del Sur), the Prince Edward Islands, Crozet, Kerguelen and Macquarie. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has introduced measures which have reduced bycatch of albatrosses around South Georgia by over 99%. Recently, other Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, including the tuna commissions, have taken initial steps to reduce seabird bycatch rates. The Prince Edward Islands are a special nature reserve and Macquarie is a World Heritage Site. Large parts of the breeding colonies on the Crozet and Kerguelen Islandsare now part of a Nature Reserve.

Conservation measures proposed Continue population monitoring programs at all sites to allow assessment of population trends, survival and production rates. Continue tracking studies to determine spatial and temporal overlap with fisheries for populations and life stages where these data do not exist. Promote adoption of best-practice mitigation measures in all fisheries within the species' range, including via intergovernmental mechanisms such as ACAP, FAO and Regional Fisheries Management Organisations.

References 2. Carboneras (1992b). 3. Cherel and Klages (1998). 6. Croxall and Gales (1998). 7. Gales et al. (1998). 8. de la Mare and Kerry (1994). 10. Weimerskirch et al. (1997). 12. Nel et al. (2002b). 13. Weimerskirch (1998). 14. Nel et al. (2002c). 15. Nel and Nel (1999). 16. BirdLife International (2004).17. Weimerskirch et al. (2006). 18. Pinaud and Weimerskirch (2007). 19. Crawford et al. (2003). 20. Ryan et al. (2003). 21. Xavier et al. 2004 22. Nel et al. (2003). 23.Nel et al. (2002). 24. Weimerskirch et al. 2003. 25. British Antarctic Survey (unpublished data). 26. Poncet et al. (2006). 27. Terauds et al. (2006). 28. Weimerskirch and Jouventin (1998). 29. Gales (1998). 30. P. Ryan in litt.(2008). 31. H. Weimerskirch in litt.(2008). 32. Delord et al. (in press).

Further web sources of information

Australian Govt - Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000 - Recovery Outline

Text account compilers Deon Nel (WWF South Africa), Deon Nel (BirdLife Seabird Programme), Cleo Small (BirdLife International Global Seabird Programme), Alison Stattersfield (BirdLife International), Ben Sullivan (BirdLife International Global Seabird Programme)

Contributors John Cooper (Avian Demography Unit, Cape Town), John Croxall (British Antarctic Survey), Rosemary Gales (Tasmanian National Parks and Wildlife Service), Richard Phillips (British Antarctic Survey), Henri Weimerskirsch (Chizé Centre of Biological Studies (CNRS))

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Cleo Small (BirdLife International Global Seabird Programme), Cleo Small (BirdLife International), Cleo Small (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), Ben Sullivan (BirdLife International Global Seabird Programme)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Diomedea exulans. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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