Albatross Island
Albatross island is a magical place.
18 hectares of conglomerate rock off the north western tip of Tasmania. It is home to 5200 breeding pairs of shy albatross ( Thalassarche cauta ) these birds are endemic to Tasmania. In the 1800’s they were harvested to near extinction, the population gradually recovered to half the estimated historical population size. In recent years the population has started to decline due to fisheries and climate impacts. Modelling suggests this will continue into the future. The Tasmanian Government has a long term monitoring program which has been in progress for over thirty years. The program is currently overseen by marine biologist Dr Rachael Aldermen, she has been visiting the island for a decade.
"My first visit to Albatross Island was overwhelming. I was a young volunteer foisted upon a group of scientists with no idea what to expect. The landscape was surreal, the birds amazing and I was both awed and inspired by the people I was with. I remember lying awake all night on the rocky floor of the cave wondering how anyone could possibly sleep through the chaos of penguin and fairy prion calls. I did not imagine that in a few years’ time I would have the responsibility for running this program, that my life would literally revolve around the breeding cycle of the shy albatross and that I would accumulate over six months’ of nights in that cave, sleeping more soundly there than any other place. "
Dr Rachael Aldermen