Adopt an Albatross

Adopt an albatross and help protect these taonga species and their habitat.

Majestic and soaring - albatrosses are increasingly threatened by industrial fishing.

Albatrosses are the world's largest seabirds. They can spend over 85% of their lives at sea soaring over vast distances. Returning to land only to breed and raise their young. Thirteen varieties of toroa breed in the New Zealand region, mostly on the subantarctic islands and the Chatham group.

These include the great albatrosses such as the northern and southern royal albatross and the nationally critical Antipodean albatross. There are also the small albatrosses, also known as mollymawks, including the grey-headed, black-browed and shy albatross. 

Threats

Albatrosses are in trouble. Almost all species are Vulnerable, Threatened, or Endangered. Few more so than the Antipodean albatross, in a little more than a decade, we have lost two-thirds of the population. The threats they face include:

Adopt an Albatross - Fishing

Fishing

Commercial fishing practices are considered the greatest threat to the survival of many albatross species. Albatrosses and other seabirds get caught on baited hooks of longlines, strike the large cables that attach the ship to the nets, or get caught in nets on trawl vessels and are injured or killed.

Adopt an Albatross - Plastics and Pollution

Plastics and pollution

Plastic in the ocean can be deadly for seabirds around the globe. Increasing number of albatrosses are dying from ingesting single use plastic items, often mistake as food by young and inexperienced birds. Drink bottles, disposable utensils and balloons are among the most deadly items. 

Adopt an Albatross - Climate Change

Climate change

Climate change is exacerbating the other threats to albatross. Warming seas are forcing them further out of traditional foraging range. Pushing them into highly fished and more polluted waters. It may also be straining the pair-bond between mated birds increasing their ‘divorce’ rate. 

Your adoption will help

© WWF-Aus / Chris Johnson

Support our work to protect albatross and other sea birds from fisheries by-catch

Working with government, to strengthen regulation. With industry to encourage them to follow best practice. Enabling consumers to demand fish that is safely and sustainably caught.

© Global Warming Images / WWF

Combat plastic pollution in the oceans

Supporting the international campaign for No Plastics in Nature working towards an UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution as well as encouraging personal action to reduce, re-use and recycle.