Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285:reg:13:p74
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 13 (pt 74/98)
Character Range: 435891–439031

1996, Robertson & Nunn 1998). ACAP has concluded on advice from its Taxonomy Working Group that available data warrant recognition of Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross at the specific level with the nomenclature generally accepted (Brooke et al. 2007, ACAP 2012k).

Current status of taxon

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth): Vulnerable

Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (Western Australia): Endangered

National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (South Australia): Endangered

Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Victoria): Endangered

Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 (Tasmania): not listed

Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (New South Wales): not listed

Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland): Vulnerable

IUCN Red list of Threatened Species: Endangered

Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020: population visiting Australia Endangered

Species description

A small albatross, the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross is approximately 75 cm in length, 2.5-2.9 kg in weight, with a wing length of 46-50 cm, and bill length of 111-124 mm (ACAP 2015, Menkhorst et al. 2017). Tubenosed; separate nostrils on a large, mostly black plated bill with yellow upper ridge that is generally narrow at base of bill. Combination of dark and white plumage, with head and rump white, with small dark eye-patch, with dark back, upper wings and tail, and leading edge of underwings and wing tips (Onley & Scofield 2007, BirdLife International 2018o).

Life history

Breeding locality                                    Jurisdiction

Amsterdam Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands  France

Prince Edward Island, Saint Paul Island              South Africa

There are six breeding sites for the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross that occur on island groups of France (Amsterdam Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands), and South Africa (Prince Edward Island, Saint Paul Island) (ACAP 2012k). The Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross is an annual breeder, when successful. Adults arrive at colonies in August with females laying a single egg in September/ October that hatches after incubation period of 10 weeks in November/December (Jouventin et al. 1983). Mean annual breeding success varies from 14-24% at one breeding site, with data not available for other sites (ACAP 2012k). Fledging of chicks occurs after approximately four months in March/April (Jouventin et al. 1983, Weimerskirch et al. 1986). The Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross disperses in the higher latitudes of the Indian Ocean and southwest Pacific Ocean. Juveniles return to colonies to begin breeding when 8-9 years of age (ACAP 2012k). Generation length is estimated at 19.8 years (Bird et al. 2020).

Species distribution in Australia

Australia is within the foraging range of the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross (Figure 14). Tracking studies and at-sea records indicate that dispersal from the breeding colonies is generally in the higher latitudes of the Indian Ocean from southern Africa to southwest Australia, and occasionally extending into New Zealand waters in the southwest Pacific Ocean (Gales 1998, BirdLife International 2004, Pinaud &