Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285:reg:13:p68
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 13 (pt 68/98)
Character Range: 416639–420427

trends

The global population is considered stable or possibly increasing (Moore et al. 1997, BirdLife International 2018d. There were an estimated 7900 breeding pairs in 2018 (ACAP 2022).

Habitat critical to survival of species

Species is limited to four breeding sites in New Zealand, on three of the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island in the south-western Pacific Ocean, with the global population predominantly found on Campbell Island (ACAP 2012t).

Threats

The risk matrix for the Southern Royal Albatross is provided at Table 28, with the threats occurring in Australia's jurisdiction highlighted.
Table 28: Southern Royal Albatross (Diomedea epomophora) risk matrix.
Likelihood of occurrence  Consequences

Not significant           Minor                             Moderate                                                                                                   Major                                                                                             Catastrophic

Almost certain            Dependence on fisheries discards  Marine pollution: heavy metal contamination                                                                Fisheries interactions: pelagic longline, demersal longline, trawl, ingestion of discarded hooks

                                                            Marine pollution: marine plastics ingestion

Likely

Possible                                                    Introduced pest species: predation by cats, habitat degradation by pigs, and spread of Dracophyllum shrub

Unlikely

Rare or Unknown                                             Human disturbance: at breeding sites leading to nest abandonment

Note: Threats occurring in Australia's jurisdiction are highlighted in bold.
Figure 10: Modelled Australian distribution of Southern Royal Albatross (Diomedea epomophora).

Diomedea sanfordi Northern Royal Albatross Murphy 1917
Family: Diomedeidae

Taxonomy

Diomedea sanfordi Murphy 1917 is accepted nomenclature for the Northern Royal Albatross. Originally one of two subspecies, but raised to specific level by Robertson & Nunn (1998) based on morphological differences between Diomedea sanfordi (Northern Royal Albatross) and Diomedea epomophora (Southern Royal Albatross) with this nomenclature widely accepted (ACAP 2012o).

Current status of taxon

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth): Endangered
Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (Western Australia): Endangered
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (South Australia): Endangered
Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Victoria): not listed
Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 (Tasmania): not listed
Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (New South Wales): not listed
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland): species not recorded in Queensland
IUCN Red list of Threatened Species: Endangered
Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020: population visiting Australia Endangered

Species description

A large albatross, the Northern Royal Albatross is approximately 115 cm in length, 6.5-6.8 kg in weight, with a wing length of 61-67 cm, and bill length of 154-172 mm (ACAP 2015, Menkhorst et al. 2017). Tubenosed; separate nostrils on a large, pink plated bill with black cutting edge on upper mandible. Combination of white and dark plumage with white head and back, white potentially black tipped tail, all black upper wings, and with mostly white underparts with black trailing edge to underwing and black wingtips (Onley & Scofield 2007, BirdLife International 2018f).

Life history

Breeding locality                                                                 Jurisdiction

Auckland Islands, Chatham Islands, South Island of New Zealand (at Taiaroa Head)  New Zealand

Endemic to New Zealand with five