Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285:reg:13:p62
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 13 (pt 62/98)
Character Range: 398648–402096

site on the island. The Amsterdam Albatross is a biennial breeder, when successful. On average, each breeding pair produces one egg every 1.8 years and fledges a chick every 2.4 years (Jouventin et al. 1989). Adult birds begin arriving at Amsterdam Island in January. Females lay a single egg in late February/March that hatches after an incubation period of over 11 weeks in May. The chicks fledge in January/February after spending at least eight months in the nest (Jouventin et al. 1989). Mean annual breeding success was estimated at 72% (Weimerskirch et al. 1997). The offspring then range the oceans for 4-7 years before returning to the island. Individuals do not begin breeding until they are nine years of age. Generation length is estimated at 22.3 years (Bird et al. 2020).

Species distribution in Australia

Australia is within the foraging range of the Amsterdam Albatross (Figure 7). The pelagic range for this species is poorly known, because of the similar appearance to other albatross species, such as the Wandering Albatross. Most sightings have been of birds in the Indian Ocean, with tracking studies indicating that adults forage generally within 2000 km of Amsterdam Island during the breeding season, while juveniles disperse across the Indian Ocean including adjacent to southwest Western Australia and eastern Africa (BirdLife International 2004, ACAP 2012a).

Population estimates and trends

The current global population trend is increasing (BirdLife International 2018a). Although numbers have been increasing since the late 1990s, the species remains among the world's rarest seabirds (BirdLife International 2018a). There were an estimated 50 breeding pairs in 2020 (ACAP 2022).

Habitat critical to survival of species

Species is limited to one breeding site on Amsterdam Island (France) in the southern Indian Ocean.

Threats

The risk matrix for the Amsterdam Albatross is provided at Table 25, with the threats occurring in Australia's jurisdiction highlighted.
Table 25: Amsterdam Albatross (Diomedea amsterdamensis) risk matrix.
Likelihood of occurrence  Consequences

Not significant           Minor         Moderate                                     Major                                     Catastrophic

Almost certain                          Marine pollution: heavy metal contamination  Fisheries interactions: pelagic longline

Likely

Possible                                                                                                                       Disease: avian cholera outbreak

Unlikely

Rare or Unknown                         Marine pollution: marine plastics ingestion                                            Introduced pest species: predation by cats, ship rats, house mice

Note: Threats occurring in Australia's jurisdiction are highlighted in bold.
Figure 7: Modelled Australian distribution of Amsterdam Albatross (Diomedea amsterdamensis).

Diomedea antipodensis Antipodean Albatross Robertson and Warham 1992
Family: Diomedeidae

Taxonomy

Diomedea antipodensis Robertson and Warham 1992 nomenclature remains under debate for the Antipodean Albatross (Double 2006, ACAP 2012b). Originally Diomedea exulans Linnaeus 1758. There has been considerable debate about the taxonomy for the wandering-type albatrosses (ACAP 2012b). Diomedea antipodensis is listed under the EPBC Act at the specific level, with Diomedea antipodensis gibsoni (Gibson's Albatross) listed as a