Macquarie Island marks World Albatross Day with the ceremonial burning of a life-size Wandering Albatross model

“Jiff” the Wandering Albatross modelu, held (from left) by Sarah-Lena Reinhold, Gemma Rushton and Karina Sorrel, photograph from Karina Sorrel

To celebrate World Albatross Day on sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island this year on 19 June, Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service rangers Karina Sorrel and Gemma Rushton, together with Australian Antarctic Division wildlife biologist Sarah-Lena Reinhold, created a life-sized Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans (Vulnerable).

The Wandering Albatross model presides above the table set for midwinter, photograph by Ben Callahan

“This became the centrepiece for an immersive experience in which expeditioners had to find their mate and perform a courtship dance – a very humorous sight.  The albatross, later christened “Jiff” by popular vote, was hung in the station mess, where it doubled as the centrepiece decoration for the Midwinter dinner.  Jiff was then ceremoniously burnt following the midwinter festivities, bringing the celebrations to a close.”

Jiff gets burnt on the “barbie”, photograph by Ben Callahan

“Macquarie Island provides critical breeding habitat for Australia’s extremely small Wandering Albatross population.  This year, there are four Wandering Albatross chicks on the island.  The nests are all located in very remote and spectacular locations in the rugged south‑west corner of the island.  The chicks hatched at the start of the year and will live at their nest alone, including through the sub‑Antarctic winter, until it is time to fledge at the end of the year.  Remote cameras are located at each nest to non-invasively monitor the breeding ecology of the birds.”

All alone: one for the four Wandering Albatross chicks on Macquarie Island this year, photograph by Gemma Rushton

“The successful eradication of rabbits, rats and mice from Macquarie Island (the Macquarie Island Pest Eradication Project, declared a success in 2014) has helped restore the quality of albatross breeding habitat, most evident through the recovery of tussock vegetation.  The removal of these invasive pests means there is no risk of them having an ongoing impact on breeding birds and chicks.

In addition to Wandering Albatross, Macquarie Island Nature Reserve and World Heritage Area is home to three other albatross species (Light-mantled, Black-browed, and Grey-headed Albatross) and many petrel species.  The conservation of these species is of Tasmanian, Australian, and international significance.”

Information taken from This week at Macquarie Island: 26 June 2026.

With thanks to Mandi Livesey, Australian Antarctic Division.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 08 July 2026