Poster Presentation 2024 Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting combined with NZMSS

Connectivity of Foraging Areas and Marine Park Usage of an Endemic Seabird: the Shy Albatross (#696)

Demelza Wall 1 , Sam Thalmann 2 , David Green 1 , Sheryl Hamilton 1 2 , Julie McInnes 1 3 , Dahlia Foo 1 , Mary-Anne Lea 1 4
  1. Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Dynnyrne, TAS, Australia
  2. Deprtment of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, Marine Conservation Program, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
  3. Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
  4. Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Shy albatross are endangered and endemic to Tasmania, breeding on only three offshore islands. The largest of these, the Mewstone, is in southwest Tasmania yet, due to its relative inaccessibility, the least is known about the foraging distribution of this population. Shy albatross are unique among albatross species due to their restricted foraging distribution. Most knowledge about the species’ demography and trends are based off the Albatross Island population in Bass Strait, >300km north of the  Mewstone. Thus, gaining increased understanding of the at sea distribution of birds from the Mewstone addresses an important knowledge gap for shy albatross conservation. We studied the at sea distribution of shy albatross across a broad temporal coverage using telemetry data, and assessed and quantified marine park usage and connectivity between the park network. We found that the extent of marine park usage was low overall, but differs between breeding stage. Eleven parks were utilised in total, seven of which were utilised for both transiting and foraging behaviours. This work informs critical knowledge of shy albatross foraging behaviour from their largest colony and future habitat protection.