VU
Chatham Albatross Thalassarche eremita



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
Brooke, M. de L. 2004. Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
Robertson, C. J. R.; Nunn, G. B. 1998. Towards a new taxonomy for albatrosses. In: Robertson, G.; Gales, R. (ed.), Albatross biology and conservation, pp. 13-19. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, Australia.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - D2

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2018 Vulnerable D2
2016 Vulnerable D2
2012 Vulnerable D2
2010 Vulnerable D2
2009 Critically Endangered B2a+b(iii)
2008 Critically Endangered
2007 Critically Endangered
2005 Critically Endangered
2004 Critically Endangered
2003 Critically Endangered
2000 Critically Endangered
1994 Not Recognised
1988 Not Recognised
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 59,100,000 km2 medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 47,000,000 km2 medium
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident) 1 km2 medium
Number of locations 1 -
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 11000 mature individuals good estimated 2007
Population trend stable medium estimated 1973-2015
Generation length 21.7 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 1 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 100% - - -

Population justification: Ground counts between 1999-2003 revealed c.5,300 occupied sites (Robertson et al. 2003), and further counts in 2007 and 2010 gave similar figures (5,247 and 5,245 occupied sites, respectively) (Robertson in litt. 2008, Fraser et al. 2011). This gives a total estimated global population of c.11,000 mature individuals, roughly equating to c.16,000 individuals in total.

Trend justification: Counts in recent years (1999, 2000 and 2001) and aerial photographs from 1973, 1974 and 1991 suggest that the population is stable, and is expected to remain stable in the near future (Croxall and Gales 1998, Robertson et al. 2003, C. J. R. Robertson in litt. 2008, ACAP 2010).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
American Samoa extant native yes
Antarctica extant vagrant
Australia extant native yes
Chile extant native yes
Cook Islands extant native yes
French Polynesia extant native yes
New Caledonia (to France) extant uncertain
New Zealand extant native yes
Niue (to New Zealand) extant native yes
Norfolk Island (to Australia) extant uncertain
Peru extant native yes
Wallis and Futuna Islands (to France) extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
New Zealand Chatham (offshore)
New Zealand Chatham Islands (nearshore)
New Zealand The Pyramid Tarakoikoia

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands major breeding
Marine Neritic Pelagic major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Pelagic major breeding
Marine Oceanic Epipelagic (0-200m) major non-breeding
Marine Oceanic Epipelagic (0-200m) major breeding
Altitude 0 - 50 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Species mortality
Biological resource use Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Species mortality
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Unlikely to Return Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Past Impact
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Climate change & severe weather Storms & flooding Timing Scope Severity Impact
Past, Likely to Return Whole (>90%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Past Impact
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Reduced reproductive success

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Chatham Albatross Thalassarche eremita. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/chatham-albatross-thalassarche-eremita on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.