--- title: "ACAP Breeding Site No. 82. Auckland Island, where albatrosses are at risk to feral pigs" --- # ACAP Breeding Site No. 82. Auckland Island, where albatrosses are at risk to feral pigs Auckland Island, the main island in the group at 510-km², along with [Adams](http://www.acap.aq/index.php/en/news/latest-news/1599-acap-breeding-site-no-58-adams-island-auckland-islands-home-of-the-antipodean-albatross), [Disappointment](http://www.acap.aq/en/news/latest-news/1724-acap-breeding-site-no-69-disappointment-island-auckland-islands-home-of-the-white-capped-albatross), [Enderby](http://www.acap.aq/index.php/en/news/latest-news/1469-acap-breeding-sites-no-40-enderby-island-auckland-island-group) and several other smaller islands, forms part of New Zealand’s [Auckland Islands National Nature Reserve](http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/land-and-freshwater/offshore-islands/new-zealands-subantarctic-islands/auckland-islands/).  ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Islands/Auckland.jpg) A view of Auckland Island, photograph by Pete McClelland ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Islands/Auckland_Carnley_Harbour.jpg) Carnley Harbour, in the south of Auckland Island, photograph by Pete McClelland ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Islands/Auckland_west_coast.jpg) Cliffs, west coast, Auckland Island, photograph by Barry Baker The island’s coastal vegetation includes Southern Rata *Metrosideros umbellata* and introduced Subantarctic Tree Daisy *Olearia lyallii* forest.  The inland habitats contain *H**ebe elliptica *shrubland, *Poa litorosa *tussock grassland and fellfield along with flowering megaherbs such as the Campbell Island Daisy *Pleurophyllum speciosum*, Ross Lily *Bulbinella rossii *and Macquarie Island Cabbage *Stilbocarpa polaris*. ACAP-listed species that have been reported breeding on the main Auckland Island are the Southern Royal Albatross *Diomedea epomophora*, (a few in the north in 1972/73) the Gibson’s subspecies of Antipodean Albatross *D. antipodensis gibsoni*, White-capped Albatross *Thalassarche steadi* (4741 (4603 - 4879) pairs estimated by aerial photography at South West Cape in 2014), Light-mantled Sooty Albatross *Phoebetria palpebrata* (in numbers on coastal cliffs around the island) and Northern Giant Petrel *Macronectes giganteus* (a small colony near South West Cape reported in 1972/73)  No definite record of breeding by White-chinned Petrel *Procellaria aequinoctialis* has as yet been found although the species does breed on some other islands in the group.  ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Islands/Auckland_Whitecaps.jpg) White-capped Albatrosses, South West Cape, Auckland Island, photograph by Pete McClelland ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/W/White_capped/Whitecapped_Albatross_SW_Cape_Auckland_Barry_Baker_s.jpg)  A White-capped Albatross pair, South West Cape, Auckland Island, photograph by Barry Baker Alien mammals that currently occur on the island are feral Domestic Pigs *Sus scrofa domesticus*, feral cats *Felis catus* and House Mice *Mus musculus*, the last apparently in surprisingly low densities, based on a recent trapping exercise ([click here](http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/05/where-have-all-the-pests-on-auckland-island-gone/)).  Feral Domestic Goats *Capra aegagrus hircus* previously occurred but were eradicated by 1992.  The pigs are known to prey upon the contents of albatross nests; recently *c*. 70 were shot from a helicopter as a feasibility exercise. The island group is surrounded by the [Auckland Islands/Motu Maha Marine Reserve](http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-visit/southland/subantarctic-islands/auckland-islands/) that covers an area of *c*. 484 000 ha ([click here](http://www.acap.aq/index.php/en/news/news-archive/57-2012-news-archive/1106-new-zealand-set-to-proclaim-three-new-marine-reserves-around-its-sub-antarctic-islands)). ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Islands/Auckland_pig.jpg) An Auckland Island pig, photograph by Pete McClelland Auckland Island falls within the New Zealand [Sub-Antarctic Islands World Heritage Site](http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/877) inscribed in 1998 which includes five island groups (Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island and the Snares Islands).  The island is also part of the proposed [Auckland Islands Important Bird Area](http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=27410) (IBA). With thanks to Barry Baker, Pete McClelland, Kalinka Rexer-Huber and James Russell for information and photographs. **Selected Literature:** Baker, G.B., Jensz, K. & Cunningham, R. 2013.  *[White-capped Albatross Population Estimate — 2011/12 and 2012/13 Final Report](http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/conservation/marine-and-coastal/marine-conservation-services/pop-2012-05-white-capped-albatross-final-report.pdf).*  Wellington: Department of Conservation.  22 pp. Baker, G.B., Jensz, K., Cunningham, R., Holdsworth, M. & Chilvers, B.L. 2015.  [White-capped albatross aerial survey 2015 Draft Final Report.  Report prepared for Department of Conservation Contract 4625](http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/conservation/marine-and-coastal/marine-conservation-services/meetings/auckland-is-white-capped-albatross-aerial-survey-2015-draft-final-report.pdf).  [Kettering]: Latitude 42 Environmental Consultants.  20 pp. Bell, B.D. 1975.  Report on the birds of the Auckland Islands Expedition 1972-73.  In: Yaldwyn, J.C. (Ed.).  *Preliminary Results of the Auckland Islands Expedition 1972-73*. Wellington, Department of Lands and Survey.  pp. 136-142. Dawson, E.W. 2012.  *The Auckland Islands/Motu Maha/Maungahuka/subantarctic New Zealand: a working bibliography*.  The Hutton Foundation New Zealand Special Papers No. 7.  Eastbourne; Hutton Press.  507 pp. Department of Conservation 1998.  Conservation Management Strategy Subantarctic Islands 1998-2008.  [Southland Conservancy Conservation Management Planning Series No. 10](http://www.doc.govt.nz/documents/about-doc/role/policies-and-plans/subantarctic-islands-cms/subantarctic-islands-cms.pdf).  Wellington: Department of Conservation.  113 pp. Department of Conservation 2006.  [Marine Protection for the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands: a Background Resource Document & CD ROM](http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/conservation/marine-and-coastal/marine-protected-areas/marine-protection-nz-subantarctic-islands.pdf).  Wellington: Department of Conservation.  48 pp. Eden, A.W. 1955.  *Islands of Despair.  Being an Account of a Survey Expedition to the sub-Antarctic Islands of New Zealand*.  London: Andrew Melrose.  212 pp. Fraser, C. 1986.  *Beyond the Roaring Forties New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands*.  Wellington:  Government Printing Office Publishing.  214 pp. Peat, N. 2003.  *Subantarctic New Zealand: a Rare Heritage*.  Invercargill: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai.  96 pp. Robertson, C.J.R. 1975.  Report on the distribution, status and breeding biology of the Royal Albatross, Wandering Albatross and White-capped Mollymawk on the Auckland Islands.  In: Yaldwyn, J.C. (Ed.).  *Preliminary Results of the Auckland Islands Expedition 1972-73*. Wellington, Department of Lands and Survey.  pp. 143-151. Russ, R. & Terauds, A. 2009.  *Galapagos of the Antarctic: Wild Islands South of New Zealand*.  Christchurch: Heritage Expeditions.  224 pp. Taylor, G.A. 2000.  Action Plan for Seabird Conservation in New Zealand. Part A, Threatened Seabirds.  [Threatened Species Occasional Publication No. 16](http://www.doc.govt.nz/documents/science-and-technical/tsop16.pdf).  Wellington: Department of Conservation.  234 pp. Thompson, D., Sagar, P., Torres, L. 2011. * Draft Final Report.  A population and distributional study of white-capped albatross (Auckland Islands).  Contract Number: POP 2005/02*.  Wellington: Department of Conservation.  xx pp. Walker, K. & Elliott, G. 1999.  Population changes and biology of the wandering albatross *Diomedea exulans gibsoni* at the Auckland Islands.  [*Emu* 99: 239-247](http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MU99029). West, C.J. 2003.  [New Zealand Subantarctic Islands Research Strategy](http://www.sub-antarctic.org/docs/subant-res-strat-05.pdf).  Invercargill: Department of Conservation.  38 pp. *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 12 December 2015*