New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts

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Notes on New Zealand mammals 8. Predation on nesting southern royal albatrosses Diomedea epomophora by a New Zealand sea lion Phocarctos hookeri

Peter J. Moore

Research and Development Group
Department of Conservation
PO Box 10420
Wellington 6143, New Zealand
pmoore@doc.govt.nz

Matt Charteris

PO Box 33
Charleston 7865
Buller, New Zealand

Eric J. Larsen

Department of Geography and Geology
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Stevens Point
WI 54481, USA

Abstract This note documents unusual predation of southern royal albatrosses Diomedea epomophora on land by an individual New Zealand sea lion Phocarctos hookeri. During a survey of albatross nests on Campbell Island in the New Zealand subantarctic in January 2005, 128 corpses of adult albatrosses were found at or near nests within a 230 ha area. Flattened vegetation and flipper prints near the nests suggested sea lion predation, and subsequently a male sea lion was found near a line of freshly killed birds. The predation rate was estimated to be at least seven birds per day over a number of weeks; similar skeletal remains from the previous year were observed in a neighbouring area. The impact of one threatened species on another can be a dilemma for conservation managers. In this case, apparently only one male sea lion was involved and, because of the ongoing impact to the albatross population, permission was obtained to cull that individual on 17 January 2005. No further incidents were observed over the following three seasons (2006–08).

Keywords Campbell Island; New Zealand sea lion; predation; southern royal albatross

Z07058; Online publication date 27 June 2008; Received 27 November 2007; accepted 11 March 2008

New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2008, Vol. 35: 201–204
0301–4223/08/3503–0201 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2008

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