---
title: "Wandering Albatrosses hatch all six eggs on Macquarie Island: good news for the species' smallest population"
---

# Wandering Albatrosses hatch all six eggs on Macquarie Island: good news for the species' smallest population

According to the [Australian Antarctic Division](http://www.antarctica.gov.au/)'s "[This Week at Macquarie](http://www.antarctica.gov.au/living-and-working/stations/macquarie-island/this-week-at-macquarie-island/page?id=61398&st=Macquarie&dt=MjAxMi0wMy0yMw==&test=2012-03-23)" on-line newsletter, all six pairs of Wandering Albatrosses *Diomedea exulans* breeding this year on the island have hatched their eggs.

 This is good news for what is the smallest breeding population of this globally [Vulnerable](http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3952)species, but one which is regarded as [Critically Endangered](http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/18/pid/6781.htm) within Australia.  Only five pairs bred on Macquarie in 2008, according to the [ACAP Species Assessment](https://acap.aq/acap-species) for the Wanderer.  Numbers of annually breeding pairs on the island have fluctuated considerably since the 1960s, with a maximum of 28 in 1968 and minimum of only two in 1985.  Breeding success information has been collected continuously since 1964 and has varied from 29-100% (mean 63.5% 1964-2006), so we can hope that all six chicks will fledge from the 2012 cohort.

 Wandering Albatrosses on Macquarie Island are very well-protected, their breeding sites being off limits to all without special permit.  During last year's [poison bait drop](http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=13013) to remove the rabbits and rodents, pellets that fell near the nests were collected by hand in case the curious chicks ingested any.

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/W/Wandering/Wandering_Albatross_by_Aleks_Terauds.jpg)"  
Wandering Albatross and chick  
Photograph by Aleks Terauds

 **Selected References:**

 Garnett, S.T., Szabo, J.K. & Dutson, G. 2011.  *[The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010](http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/18/pid/6781.htm)*.  Collingwood: CSIRO Publishing.  456 pp.  ISBN 9780643103689.  Paperback.  AUD 49.95.

 Terauds, A., Gales, R., Baker, G.B. & Alderman, R. 2006.  Population and survival trends of Wandering Albatrosses (*Diomedea exulans*) breeding on Macquarie Island*.  [Emu](http://www.publish.csiro.au/?paper=MU06007)*[106: 211-218](http://www.publish.csiro.au/?paper=MU06007).

 With thanks to Rosemary Gales for information.

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 28 March 2012*