

13.23
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13.25
Dodas tālāk.

Sharyn Broni (Ranger, DOC) ModSharyn Broni (Ranger, DOC) Mod
Featured by Department of Conservation
Kia ora koutou (hello everyone)
Toroa/albatross season breaks records: Media release 16 October 2025 https://www.doc.govt.nz/news/media-rele ... s-records/
An outstanding season with 38 chicks fledging.
They learn to feed, and to survive on the ocean, they will then cross the Pacific Ocean, Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa over 9000 kilometres to the Humboldt Current off the coast of Chile.
Sadly, one has washed up as a beach wreck after successfully fledging.
They will continue their travels around the coasts of South America and returning via the Atlantic and Indian oceans to New Zealand once they are 4 to 7 years old. They journey many tens of thousands of kilometres before they return to the colony and start looking for a mate.
Te Poari a Pukekura, a joint trust made up of Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou members, Korako Karetai Trust, Dunedin City Council and DOC have gifted Signal Station Flat, the 2025 Royalcam chick, now a journeying juvenile the name Kaewa, meaning traveller/adventurer.
Kaewa, The 2025 Royalcam chick.
Kaewa means to travel or roam and is appropriate as she is named while she is on her massive round the world journey. For pronunciation, click on the audio in Te Aka, Māori Dictionary. https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/13712
Background on data collection
All chicks are banded with a uniquely numbered Stainless-Steel band and a colour band. Twenty chicks have Geo Location Sensors (GLS) attached to the Stainless-Steel band which must be collected and the data downloaded when they return in 5 years’ time. Eighteen chicks have Global Positioning System (GPS) tags which send data via a satellite but as they are attached to feathers, they will be moulted off at some point. The GLS tags will collect data for much longer than the GPS tags.
Banding ensures that we will be able to recognise everyone in years to come and be able to collect lifespan and breeding success data.
What to Expect on Royalcam
Rangers are now busy preparing for the 2025/26 breeding season.
What To Expect On The Royal Albatross Cam: November–December | Laying And Incubating Eggs
The cam will be moved after the eggs have been laid and a suitable Royalcam family can be chosen.
Past Royalcam family’s news.
Read more about the Royalcam families here: Meet the Royal family: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-a ... al-family/
Tūmanako, who fledged in 2017, returned at the end of 2021 and has been ‘keeping company’ with a 7-year-old female (i.e. serious
about breeding). As they will be first time breeders, we cannot be sure that they will breed this season, but so far, the signs are looking good.
Tūmanako’s father, BK has also been sighted as a 2025/26 returnee as has ROY, who persistently fed another pairs chick during 2024. Tūmanako, BK and ROY are all well out of range of the Royalcam cable. Moana, the first Royalcam chick has been sighted today, very good news as she was not spotted last summer. There are many more weeks to go before we know who is going to be around for the breeding season. We appreciate your patience at this time as it is not possible to report on what has not been seen.