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9.30

Sharyn Broni (Ranger, DOC) ModSharyn Broni (Ranger, DOC) Mod
Kia ora koutou (hello everyone)
The Royalcam nest.
Since entering the world at 286g on the 28th of January, the Royalcam chick at Signal Station Flat has grown to 1.02kg on day 12 (Sunday 9th of February)
Comparisons of average male and female chick weights and all the past Royalcam chicks are on these graphs also. Rangers use weight data to determine when a chick requires feeding intervention.
After the second week weighing will be once a week, mostly on a Tuesday, weather allowing.
A small blood sample will be taken around this time to determine the sex of each chick. This enables us to be able to supplementary feed any chick that requires it to the correct amount as males are heavier than females, but they can be difficult to tell apart.
Read more about the work we do with the toroa here: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-a ... albatross/
Changeovers
RLK/A85 arrived back at the nest late of the 7th of February after only 4 days away. He foraged much closer to Pukekura on this trip.
RLK/A85’s round trip of foraging, around 600km.
GLG also had a shorter foraging trip than during the incubation period and returned to the nest on the 9th of February.
GLG’s round trip of foraging, around 120km.
Now it is RLK/A85’s turn to search for food, he is currently heading north.
Satelīta izsekošanaThe guard stage.
The first few weeks of the toroa chicks’ life is called the guard stage. It can vary from 3 to 5 weeks with an average of 4 weeks guarding the chick likely.
The squid, fish and octopus that the albatross is found on or just below the surface of the ocean. This is why they must fly such long distances to find food. The following link shows some foraging behaviour.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/7070/surface-feeding
Satellite Tracking
Today's GPS tag update of RLK/KA85, GLG and 10 juvenile toroa and from Pukekura (tagged 25th of September and 5th of October 2024)
The juvenile that was first to round Cape Horn is now heading in a easterly direction north of South Georgia. Once the juveniles return to Pukekura they are adolescents and on average, 5 years old there is a range of returning age from 3 to 10 years of age.
It takes a few years of socialising with other adolescents (and potentially any bereaved breeders who may be around) before they choose a mate.
Past Royalcam parent news
The parents of Manaaki have one of the older chicks this season and YRK (parent of Atawhai and Lilibet) and her new mate also have a chick. At 31 years of ager YRK is a very experienced breeder having raised 8 chicks (including 2 foster chicks) previously. GLY and L, the parents of Manaaki are raising their 4th chick. These chicks are all older than the Royalcam chick and will be near the end of the guard stage soon.
Sharyn Broni (Ranger, DOC) ModSharyn Broni (Ranger, DOC) Mod
This is the last 3 days of tracking from RLK/A85. It looks like he could arrive back at the nest this evening unless he becomes distracted by another source of food.
EP is for End Point, the last recieved location. The arrow is the direction of travel.