Watch the lives of a Northern Royal Albatross family with Season 10 of the “Royal Cam”

The male RLK incubating on the Signal Station Trig nest, photograph from the New Zealand Department of Conservation

Season 10 of “Royal Cam” has started in the mainland colony of Endangered Northern Royal Albatrosses Diomedia sanfordi at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head.  A new breeding pair has now been chosen to become the star of what has become a popular 24-hour streaming service.

The new pair are RLK (colour bands Red, Lime, Black), a 12-year-old male and GLG (Green, Lime Green), a14-year-old female.  This biennially-breeding pair first bred in 2019/20, but their egg failed.  They then successfully raised female chicks during the 2020/21 and 2022/23 breeding seasons.  In the current season GLG laid her egg on 11 November; it was candled and found to be fertile.  RLK and GLG will take turns to incubate the egg for 2.5 months before they have a new chick.

“Royal Albatross Cam - The new season begins, the parents are RLK and GLG”

Information from the Albatross Lovers Facebook page.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 04 December 2024