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Shy albatross
Breeding pairs remaining in the world: 12,750
Where do they breed?: Albatross Island, Pedra Branca and Mewstone (Tasmania)
Wingspan: 210-260 cm
Length (beak to tail): 90-100 cm
Average lifespan: Up to 30 years
Diet: Mainly fish, marine molluscs, shrimps, lobsters and tunicates (barrel-like filter feeders)
Scientific name:Thalassarche cauta
Threat level: Near Threatened
Why they need your help
Working out where this albatross species forages for food is made difficult by its similar appearance to other albatrosses.
We do have some tracking data, though, which shows that adults appear to be relatively sedentary and remain concentrated around Tasmania and southern Australia. In these waters they do not really get caught as fisheries bycatch.
However, ring recoveries from birds caught off South Africa and New Zealand suggest that juveniles roam over a far larger area. This puts them in greater contact with fishing fleets, and makes them much more likely to be caught as fisheries bycatch.
A disease called avian pox virus has been recorded in chicks on Albatross Island, and is a potentially serious threat to the species survival here.