PREVENTING THE NEEDLESS SLAUGHTER OF THE ALBATROSS

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The Amsterdam Albatross is the rarest albatross in the world and one of only two species (the other is Chatham Albatross) in the category of gravest threat of extinction ('Critically Endangered') recognised by the World Conservation Union's (IUCN). It has a total population of around 130 birds including only 80 mature individuals, of which on average 20 pairs breeding annually. They are confined to a tiny area of Amsterdam Island (French Southern Territories) in the southern Indian Ocean.

The Amsterdam Albatross is a huge bird, very closely related to Wandering Albatross, but - unlike that species - the adult plumage is chocolate brown. Although numbers have rallied of late, the prognosis is for continuing decline with evidence of highly infectious avian cholera and another disease spreading from a nearby colony of Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses and killing Amsterdam Albatross chicks.

Deaths from Japanese longline fishing in the region could have contributed to past declines and although this particular risk has receded, a recent increase in Taiwanese pelagic longlining in the vicinity of Amsterdam Island could pose a renewed threat. It is vital that longline fisheries take every precaution to prevent seabird by-catch throughout this species' range, as the loss of relatively few adults could spell the death-knell of this species.