Albatross gets a regal sendoff

HOMEWARD BOUND: Elizabeth, the royal albatross, stretches her wings in the wind above Makara Beach before taking off. "I've got goose bumps," Wellington Zoo veterinarian Janelle Ward said as Elizabeth soared into the sky.

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Elizabeth the albatross waltzed a few metres from her cage before raising her majestic three-metre wing span and soaring off.

She banked several times above her rescuers, standing on a rocky outcrop at a wind-swept Makara Beach near Wellington yesterday, gathering altitude before disappearing into the distance.

The bird had been recovering at Wellington Zoo since Sunday, after crashing into a Wainuiomata backyard during Friday's freak storm and suffering minor injuries.

"I've got goose bumps," proud zoo resident veterinarian Janelle Ward said as Elizabeth soared higher and higher.

Co-worker Francois Lampen said the rare opportunity to work with a royal albatross was a highlight.

"It's not very often that you'll see a royal albatross this close so it's quite amazing," he said.

The birds were easily stressed and keeping them in captivity for extended periods often proved fatal.

Elizabeth was slightly underweight at 6.5 kilograms when brought to The Nest, the animal hospital at the zoo. After being fed a kilogram of fish a day, she left at a healthy 7.4kg.

Mr Lampen, who had minor wounds on his hands from working with the bird, said it was important she went away with a bit of "padding" as it would take some time for her to return to her normal foraging habits.

He was confident she would be fit enough to return to her nesting ground, believed to be Taiaroa Head near Dunedin, where Conservation Department staff believe she has a chick.

"But to be honest, there's only so much we can do," he said.

It was not known what effect the prolonged period away might have on the chick, Mr Lampen said. It was not unusual for an albatross to travel such a long way as they often flew tens of thousands of kilometres in search of food.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Sarah   #5   11:16 am Mar 17 2010

That's really lovely. Nice job!

Nibz   #4   11:11 am Mar 17 2010

Awesome work to everyone involved, big thanks as well to the family in Wainuiomata for their quick thinking

Jan Clarke   #3   09:24 am Mar 17 2010

Congratulations to all the staff that cared for this magnificent bird

michelle   #2   08:22 am Mar 17 2010

Fantastic!

claire   #1   08:05 am Mar 17 2010

Awww.. I hope it will be all good.

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