Northern Royal Albatross Web Camera This is a joint initiative between the Otago Peninsula Trust (OPT), which manages the Royal Albatross Centre, and The Department of Conservation (DOC).

Click here to find out more about wildlife management at Taiaroa Head

The first egg was laid on 31 October 2009 and we had 17 albatross eggs in total. A major milestone was achieved in January 2010 as 100% of the fertile eggs produced successfully hatched - a first in 16 years. Another fact that is generating a lot of media interest this year is that there are two 'mums' who have formed a pair bond and are raising a chick.

During the next few months, the chicks will have to cope with heat, humidity, the risk of fly strike and predators. For the next six weeks, their parents will take turns guarding and feeding their chicks. They will then be left unattended while both parents forage at sea for enough food to feed them.

The web cam is moved on a regular basis by the guides at Taiaroa Head to try and show the best view.

One of the issues albatross face living on the mainland is the constant threat of predators such as cats, stoats and ferrets. However, the trapping programme run by the Department of Conservation helps to minimise the threat (traps are wooden boxes which you may see from time-to-time on the web cam).

The OPT runs the visitor experience at the Royal Albatross Centre, one of the longest running eco-tourism ventures in New Zealand, and the only one that directly contributes towards the fostering and protection of the Northern Royal Albatross at Taiaroa Head/Pukekura.

The Department of Conservation has the responsibility of managing the nature reserve where 10,000 sea birds and the only mainland colony of albatross in the Southern Hemisphere, reside.

These images are brought to you with the generous assistance of

These images are copyright of the Royal Albatross Colony.