“As the albatross had made no attempts to fly following the storm passing, the decision was made to take the albatross to the Massey University Wildbase Hospital, Palmerston North, as it hadn’t eaten and was weak,” DoC said.
The Chatham Island Albatross spotted resting at Mahia Golf Course last month. Photo / Graham Shapland
“It was mostly likely [suffering] storm fatigue and [was] blown off-course. Unfortunately, after a few days of care at the vets, the albatross passed away due to emaciation and renal failure as is frequent in storm-wrecked pelagic seabirds.”
DoC traced the albatross as it had been banded as a chick on February 11, 1994. That put its age at 32 years.
It had been caught once back on Te Tara Koi Koia/The Pyramid, Chatham Islands, on December 10, 2010, and had not been recorded since.
The species is endemic to the Chatham Islands, where the entire population live and breed on one rock known as The Pyramid.
Sonia Keepa, DoC principal ranger Tairāwhiti East Coast, said there had been no other reports of recent sightings of albatrosses.
“It is rare to have these birds come to shore as they live most of their lives at sea, flying or resting occasionally directly on the ocean.”
DoC advised anyone who saw injured or sick native wildlife to call 0800 DOC HOT or 0800 362 468.
Beach bonfire warning
Firefighters are urging people to take care where they light fires on beaches and when putting them out.
The call follows driftwood fires on city beaches on Monday night that appear to have started from beach bonfires.
Beach bonfires can spread rapidly in the right conditions as this one did last summer. Firefighters urge people lighting a fire to ensure it is below the high mark and put out fully before they leave.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand was called to the beach twice that night.
One was to a spot about two-thirds of the way along Centennial Marine Drive, a senior firefighter said.
“The fire there had got into driftwood on the beach and it covered about 30 square metres.”
The second call was to near The Pipe surf break carpark at Midway Beach.
“The fire there was smaller, only about 10 metres square.
“With Guy Fawkes upon us and the district in an open fire season, we urge people to be careful with bonfires on the beach,” the firefighter said.
“Make sure you light them below the high tide mark. Ensure they are well away from the sand dunes and make sure you put them out properly before you leave the beach.”
Shipping figures
Eastland Port handled 270,442 tonnes of export logs in October on the 10 ships that came to load cargo in Gisborne.
A port spokesperson said it was the best month to date for the financial and calendar years.
“The dominant southerly swells that we had through the winter have reduced,” she said.
“However, the strong northwesterly crosswinds associated with El Niño are now impacting channel transits.
“From November 6 we’ll have unrestricted mobile harbour crane access across both Wharf 8 and Wharf 7,” she said.
“This is the final milestone in our Twin Berth project, which gives us greater flexibility in how we operate and further strengthens the port’s ability to support the region’s exporters.”