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Tracking Updates |
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At the end of August
2007, three northern royal albatross chicks from
the Taiaroa Head Colony on Otago Peninsula had satellite
transmitters attached to their back feathers so that
their movements at sea can be followed. The trio
includes Toroa, the 500th chick hatched in the colony's
70-year breeding history.
These GPS locations are taken
every 6 hours giving the birds' location to within
15m and are sent in via the satellite every 6th day
for mapping and analysis.
Latest Update: May 5, 2008
(Next update: May 16, 2008)
Toroa - #55028 – Toroa
has been tracked for nearly nine months now with
approximately 87% of
the total possible 6 hourly GPS locations coming
in, indicating that the technology is working very
well. The 13% of missed locations is mainly due to
insufficient battery charge meaning that the GPS
receiver doesn’t have enough power to calculate
the location. So far he has travelled a minimum distance
of 29,500 km since fledging on 22 September, 2007.
#55027 – She has
also been tracked for nearly nine months now with
approximately 83% of the total
possible 6 hourly GPS locations coming in, also indicating
that the transmitter and satellite systems are working
effectively. The 17% of missed locations is mainly
due to insufficient battery charge meaning that the
GPS receiver doesn’t have enough power to calculate
the location. So far he has travelled a minimum distance
of 25,750 km since fledging on 4 October, 2007.
#55029 – He has
not sent in any locations since February 10, 2008,
indicating a total tracking time
of almost six months. Approximately 56% of the total
possible 6 hourly GPS locations were taken with this
transmitter, indicating that it has not worked as
well as the other two. This transmitter showed lower
voltage readings from early on, indicating that either
the albatross spent more time sitting on the water
with his wings covering the solar panels, or this
transmitter was not as efficient as the other two.
He travelled a total minimum distance of 23,500 km
between 25 September, 2007 and February 10, 2008. |
Update: Apr 22, 2008
Toroa - #55028 – He has moved a minimum distance
of 920 km over the last 12 days staying in the same general area he has been
in for the last month or so.
#55027 – She is currently approximately 140
km from the coast of Chile in an area where she has been for the last five months.
#55029 – He has not sent in any locations
since February 10, 2008.
Update: Apr 10, 2008
Toroa - #55028 – Over the last 12 days he
has slowly continued moving back up north. He has moved a total minimum distance
of almost 28,000 km since fledging in September, 2007.
#55027 – Over the last 12 days she has also
slowly been moving in a northerly direction. She has moved a total minimum distance
of almost 24,000 km since fledging in October, 2007.
#55029 – He has not sent in any locations
since February 10, 2008. 
Update: March 31, 2008
Toroa - #55028 – He has moved a minimum distance
of 1400 km since the last update twelve days ago and is the most north he has
been since the middle of February, 08.
#55027 – She has moved a minimum distance
of 1500 km in since the last update twelve days ago. She is still in the same
general area that she has been in for the last month or so, moving up and down
the coast between 32 S and 37 S and staying within a couple of hundred metres
from the coast.
#55029 – He has not sent in any locations
since February 10, 2008.
Latest Update: March 18, 2008
(Next update: March 31, 2008)
Toroa - #55028 – He is still continuing back
up north having travelled a minimum distance of 750 km since the last update
6 days ago.
#55027 – She is still within the same location
as she was six days ago and is currently 60 km southwest of the town of Valparaiso,
a known popular fishing town.
#55029 – He has not sent in any locations
since February 10, 2008.
Update: March 11, 2008
Toroa - #55028 – Toroa is continuing north
back up the coast and is approximately 380 km further north than he was six days
ago.
#55027 – She has stayed within the same location
as she was six days ago. She is currently 80 km southwest of the town of Valparaiso,
a known popular fishing town.
#55029 – He has not sent in any locations
since February 10, 2008.
Update: March 5, 2008
Toroa - #55028 – Toroa is still in the vicinity
of Cape Horn, currently being approximately 320 km northwest of it and 55 km
from the coast.
#55027 – In the
last six days she has turned around and is heading back up north again. She is
currently 70 km southwest of the town of Valparaiso and 45 km directly west of
the coast.
#55029 – He has
not sent in any locations since February 10, 2008. This last successful download
consisted of a number of failed location attempts along with indications of a
voltage level not high enough to obtain GPS readings. It is hoped that once charging
of the solar battery occurs, he will come back online as was the case last time
he ceased contact. He has been offline once prior to this for a period of about
3 weeks back in October, 2007.
Update: February 28, 2008
Toroa - #55028 – Since
the last download on Feb 22, Toroa has backtracked slightly but is still in the
vicinity of Cape Horn and is currently approximately 60 km from the coast.
#55027 – Since the last download on Feb 22,
she has been heading south and has travelled a minimum distance of 920 km.
#55029 – He has
not sent in any locations since February 10, 2008. This last successful download
consisted of a number of failed location attempts along with indications of a
voltage level not high enough to obtain GPS readings. It is hoped that once charging
of the solar battery occurs, he will come back online as was the case last time
he ceased contact. He has been offline once prior to this for a period of about
3 weeks back in October, 2007.
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