36 Australian Geographic
A
LBATROSS ISLAND is a
windswept speck in the Bass
Strait. Named for its best-
known (but by no means most
numerous) inhabitant, the shy
albatross, it covers just 18ha and lies
some 35km off north-western
Tasmania. Some of its rock substrate
is exposed to the elements; the rest is
carpeted in a vibrant mass of
ground-hugging vegetation, including
several varieties of succulent.
Although it’s a paradise for birds
and visually stunning, Albatross Island
can be less than comfortable for
human visitors. For a start, the locals
are prone to making a racket day and
night, especially when they’re breeding.
And the accumulated bird guano gives
off a pungent smell that can be
detected some way off the island.
It has no human-made structures, and
because it is a state nature reserve, you
need a permit to land there.
The reason for the island’s pro-
tected status is the vast numbers of
birds that call it home. Some 5200
pairs of shy albatrosses (Thalassarche
cauta) breed here every year, together
with an estimated 20,000 pairs offairy prions, 2000 pairs of short-
tailed shearwaters and 350 pairs of
little penguins, among other avian
visitors. A few fur seals also visit.
Impressive though these statistics
are, both bird and seal numbers were
higher in the past. George Bass and
Matthew Flinders reported seeing the
island “almost covered with birds”
when they landed there in 1798. It’s
estimated there were about 20,000
breeding pairs of shy albatrosses on
the island then, but in the 1800sWILDLIFE
Under observation. Dr Rachael Alderman,
above, attaches a tiny data logger to an adult
albatross. This must be done quickly so as not to
disturb the bird and its one-week-old chick – some
birds can become stressed by human presence
and will nip or bite. From data collected, Rachael
will determine where the birds are feeding.SHY ALBATROSS RANGE圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀
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