Population biology and ecology of albatrosses on Macquarie Island : implications for conservation status ...

• Main Author: Terauds, A
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: University Of Tasmania 2023
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctica; Diomedea exulans; Macquarie Island
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/23241662; https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/Population_biology_and_ecology_of_albatrosses_on_Macquarie_Island_implications_for_conservation_status/23241662

Four species of albatross breed on Macquarie Island, a small subantarctic island located halfway between Australia and Antarctica. Three of these species (Wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans), Black-browed albatrosses (Thalassarche melanophrys) and Grey-headed albatrosses (Thalassarche chrysostoma)) are particularly at risk from elevated mortality levels due to the small size of the breeding populations. Wandering albatrosses have the smallest breeding population of approximately ten breeding pairs each year (total breeding population estimated as 19 breeding pairs), followed by Black-browed albatrosses with approximately 40 breeding pairs each year (total breeding population 38-45 pairs) and Grey-headed albatrosses, with 65-75 breeding pairs each year (total breeding population 100-120 breeding pairs). Light-mantled sooty albatrosses (Phoebetria palpebrata) are more abundant on Macquarie Island (total breeding population estimated at 1500-1800 breeding pairs) and this population represents around 5-10% ...