Wandering albatross long-term monitoring

• The focal point of the South Georgia Surveys research programme is the annual census of wandering albatrosses on Albatross and Prion Islands, South Georgia.

The wandering albatross population on these two islands has been studied annually since 1999 and the results show a steadily declining population. This decline is confirmed by British Antarctic Survey research at Bird Island at the northwest end of South Georgia.  Censuses here began in the 1960s and show that each year, on average, there are approximately 5% fewer birds nesting than the previous year. Photographs like the one below, explain why the birds are disappearing, hooked on long-lines in unregulated fisheries.

This hook, protruding from the eye socket of a wanderer, was successfully removed by scientists at Bird Island.

Click here to find out more about the British Antarctic Survey's research programme at Bird Island, and for the latest from BAS scientists, the UKOTCF and SGS South Georgia Surveys about the decline in South Georgia's wandering albatrosses.

Other studies at Albatross and Prion Islands include censuses of giant petrels, an assessment of the degradation of seabird habitat due to trampling of vegetation by Antarctic fur seals, and monitoring of tourism numbers from visiting cruise ships.

This research programme will be extended in 2008 to include the monitoring of potential impacts on wildlife of a visitor boardwalk which is being installed at the wandering albatross colony on Prion Island.

The programme is supported by the South Georgia Government, the ART Antarctic Research Trust and the Antarctic cruise ship company Peregrine Adventures. The aims of the programme are:

• To monitor the distribution and abundance of wandering albatross breeding pairs and display nests on Albatross and Prion Islands.
• To monitor the breeding distribution and abundance of northern and southern giant petrels on Prion Island and at a control site on Albatross Island.
• To record the breeding success of wanderers on Prion Island and at a control site on Albatross Island.
• To record the areas impacted by fur seals on Albatross and Prion Islands, and conduct an assessment of damage to vegetation.
• To establish a long-term monitoring site for white-chinned petrels on Albatross Island.
• To monitor the distribution and abundance of light-mantled sooty albatrosses on Albatross Island.

One of the expected outputs of the programme is the acquisition of information about the extent to which fur seal activity and visitor infrastructure (ie a boardwalk) and management are affecting nest abundance, distribution and breeding success of wanderers on Prion Island.