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title: "A South African Wandering Albatross gets a second chance after a deck landing in New Zealand"
---

# A South African Wandering Albatross gets a second chance after a deck landing in New Zealand

A colour-banded Wandering Albatross *Diomedea exulans* was given a second chance after landing on the deck of a fishing trawler in New Zealand waters last year on 25 June.  The bird was first banded as a breeding adult male in the long-term monitoring colony above Macaroni Bay and towards Archway Bay on South Africa’s Marion Island on 22 February 2016 with metal band J-26722 and white colour band Z21.  It was last recorded ashore brooding a chick on 26 March 2016.  By 30 April the breeding attempt had failed, thus allowing the now “off-duty” failed breeder to travel as far as New Zealand.

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/W/Wandering/J-26722.JPG)

 J-26722/W-Z21 aboard the *Otakou*

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/W/Wandering/J26722-band.jpg)

 As reported by onboard observer Susan Chalmers to the South African Bird Ringing Unit ([SAFRING](http://safring.adu.org.za/)), the Wanderer was caught aboard the [Sealord](http://www.sealord.com/nz/) trawler *Otakou* at Port Nelson in Tasman Bay, New Zealand at 41° 14’S; 173° 14’E, 124 days after being banded, 91 days since last being seen at its nest and 56 days since nest failure was first recorded.  The great-circle distance between banding site and recapture locality is 1735 km ([click here](http://safring.adu.org.za/ring_info.php?ring=J26722)).

 Biz Bell of [Wildlife Management International](http://www.wmil.co.nz/) writes to *ACAP Latest News* “Looks like it landed on the vessel for a rest and got grounded by lack of wind”.  The albatross was released overboard as the *Otakou* left Port Nelson harbour the same day as its capture.

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/W/Wandering/J26722.jpg)

 J-26722/W-Z21 gets released

 Photographs by Susan Chalmers, [Department of Conservation](http://www.doc.govt.nz/)/[Ministry for Primary Industries](https://www.mpi.govt.nz/) Observer aboard the *Otakou*

 ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Fishing_Gear/Otakau.jpg)

 Sealord's trawler *Otakou*

 [http://www.portnelson.co.nz/](http://www.portnelson.co.nz/)With luck W-Z21 will return to ‘Macci Bay’ on Marion Island and attempt to breed once more in the study colony I set up in the early 1980s.

 With thanks to Biz Bell, Wildlife Management International Ltd; Dane Paijmans, SAFRING; and Stefan Schoombie & Kim Stevens, [FitzPatrick Institute](http://www.fitzpatrick.uct.ac.za/), University of Cape Town.

 *John Cooper, ACAP information Officer, 20 February 2017*