The Department of Conservation (DOC) has set up a web cam beside an albatross nest at the Royal Albatross Colony at Taiaroa Head. A northern royal albatross chick at Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula will never know that it's being watched by the world.
The chick in the nest hatched five days ago and is being filmed 24 hours a day. DOC’s threatened species ambassador Nicola Toki launched the 'royal cam' which went live today.
Nicola said this is the first time a web cam has been used to view an albatross at the colony. Taiaroa is the world’s only mainland royal albatross breeding colony.
“We are thrilled to share the life history of these awesome seabirds with the rest of New Zealand and the world. Few people in the world have the chance to get this close to a nesting albatross chick. It’s quite amazing to look right into the nest to see the chick’s new beginning. We are grateful to our supporters for helping make this happen,” Nicola said.
The parents will take turns guarding and feeding the chick for the next five or six weeks. They will then leave it unguarded, except for feeding visits, until it fledges (is ready to fly) at about eight months. The sex of the chick is unknown at this stage.
Photo credit: Department of Conservation
