ACAP announces its theme for World Albatross Day on 19 June 2026 will be “Habitat Restoration”

 An Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross tends its chick on Gough Island, photograph by Michelle Risi

The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) is pleased to announce that “Habitat Restoration” will be its theme for next year’s World Albatross Day (WAD2026), the seventh to be held, on 19 June 2026.

The WAD2026 theme will include such management activities as eradication or control of introduced plants and animals at breeding sites, provision of predator-proof fences, establishment of new breeding colonies by attraction techniques and translocations of eggs and chicks, candling and substituting infertile with fertile eggs, supplementary feeding and hydration of chicks, artificial incubation during hatching, and use of fly repellents and sprinkler systems to improve breeding success.

The 2026 theme follows on from the inaugural theme “Eradicating Island Pests” in 2020, “Ensuring Albatross-friendly Fisheries” in 2021, “Climate Change” in 2022, “Plastic Pollution” in 2023, Marine Protected Areas” in 2024 and “Effects of Disease” in 2025.

A Chatham Albatross stands over its chick on The Pyramid/Tarakoikoia, New Zealand, photograph by David Bowle

The Pyramid, Chatham Islands: sole breeding home of the Chatham Albatross, aerial photograph by David Boyle

Two new albatross species will be used to feature the theme for WAD2026, with posters, infographics, and artworks produced by members of Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature collective (ABUN).  They are the Endangered Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos, endemic to the Tristan da Cunha islands, part of the United Kingdom Overseas Territory of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic and the Vulnerable Chatham Albatross T. eremita, endemic to the Chatham Islands, New Zealand.

Watch a video by Chris Moncaster of Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatrosses engaging in mutual display on Tristan da Cunha.

Gough Island, one of the four breeding localities of the Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, aerial drone photograph by Chris Jones

With thanks to David Boyle, Chris Jones and Michelle Risi for photographs.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 01 December 2025