Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature's Project #47 kicks off in support of this year's World Albatross Day

Top: The banner created by Marion Schön for ABUN Project #47 “Marine Protected Areas”
Bottom: Artworks (L-R): George and Geraldine, Short-tailed Albatrosses by Flávia F. Barreto from a photo by J Plissner; Short-tailed Albatross chick by Marion Schön from a photo by Jonathan Plissner; “All you need is love" - and zumba!” Short-tailed Albatrosses by Di Roberts

The first artworks for ABUN Project #47 under the theme, “Marine Protected Areas – Safeguarding our Oceans” have been created in support of this year's World Albatross Day to be celebrated on 19 June. By focusing on the connection between albatrosses and the ocean, this year’s World Albatross Day hopes to highlight how Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can help improve the conservation status of these magnificent birds. 

Short-tailed Albatross by Doug Hiser

The establishment of MPAs can assist in improving the conservation status of albatrosses through the protection of the immediate surrounds of their breeding localities and key regions across their migratory ranges, and through the management of activities permitted within them, such as fishing. 

New Zealand’s Near Threatened Buller's Albatross Thalassarche bulleri and the Vulnerable Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus have been chosen as the featured species for WAD2024. 

Artworks from top left (clockwise): George and Geraldine Short-tailed Albatrosses by M Lucia Bendasoli; “And then they said ...!'  wait, no way!” Buller's Albatrosses by Ellyn Bousman Lentz; Buller’s Albatross by Peter Ward from a photo by Enzo M Reyes; George Short-tailed Albatross by Judith Mackay from a photo by Jon Plissner; “Will you be mine?” Buller's Albatrosses by Ellyn Bousman Lentz; “The guiding heart” Buller’s Albatross by Virginia Nicol from photos by Dominique Filipino and Paul Sagar

An official World Albatross Day poster in ACAP’s three official languages of English, French and Spanish will be released in the coming weeks and will be made available at high resolution to download at the ACAP website. 

ABUN Project #47, will run until 31 March and is the fifth collaboration between ACAP and Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature in support of World Albatross Day.

1 February 2024