2008/01/01 by Peter J. Moore, Matt Charteris, Eric J. Larsen · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Marine animal studies overview #Cephalopods and Marine Biology #Avian ecology and behavior
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/03014220809510115
openalex publication_date 2008/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
Abstract This note documents unusual predation of southern royal albatrosses Diomedea epomophora on land by an individual New Zealand sea lion Phocarctos hookeri . During a survey of albatross nests on Campbell Island in the New Zealand sub‐antarctic in January 2005, 128 corpses of adult albatrosses were found at or near nests within a 230 ha area. Flattened vegetation and flipper prints near the nests suggested sea lion predation, and subsequently a male sea lion was found near a line of freshly killed birds. The predation rate was estimated to be at least seven birds per day over a number of weeks; similar skeletal remains from the previous year were observed in a neighbouring area. The impact of one threatened species on another can be a dilemma for conservation managers. In this case, apparently only one male sea lion was involved and, because of the ongoing impact to the albatross population, permission was obtained to cull that individual on 17 January 2005. No further incidents were observed over the following three seasons (2006–08).