4448 x 2816 px | 37,7 x 23,8 cm | 14,8 x 9,4 inches | 300dpi
Data acquisizione:
2012
Ubicazione:
Kaikoura, New Zealand
Altre informazioni:
The southern royal albatross (toroa) is one of the great albatross species, with a wing-span in excess of 3 m and weighing approximately 9 kg. Endemic to New Zealand, the majority of the southern royal breeding population is found on subantarctic Campbell Island, with smaller numbers on the Auckland Islands. Birds breed biennially as it takes nearly a year to rear the single chick. Non-breeding birds and juveniles cross the Southern Ocean to feed in South American waters before returning to the breeding areas by circumnavigating the globe. Young birds begin returning to the islands at 3-4 years of age to find mates, and generally start breeding at 6-12 years, and live into their 40s. Southern royals are closely related to the northern royal albatross, which breeds at Taiaroa Head and the Chatham Islands. Approximately 8500 pairs of southern royal albatross breed each year on Campbell Island and 100 pairs on the Auckland Islands. The southern royal albatross is the largest of the albatrosses.
