Buller’s Albatross Thalassarche bulleri, an ACAP-listed species and a New Zealand breeding endemic, has been re-categorized (“down-listed”) to Near Threatened (from Vulnerable) by BirdLife International on behalf of the World Conservation Union. Go to www.birdlife.org/action/science/species/index.html for the decision.
BirdLife International does not split Buller’s Albatross into two species. ACAP has made the same decision, following the advice of its Advisory Committee’s Taxonomy Working Group.
According to the newly posted BirdLife Species Factsheet, the albatross’ population is regarded as stable and is “unlikely to become highly threatened in a short time owing to human activities or stochastic events”.
Posted by John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 21 May 2008