Royal Albatross Centre @ Dunedin

One of the tours conducted by the Monarch Wildlife Cruises in my New Zealand 12 day tour is a visit to the Royal Albatross Centre at Dunedin. The Royal Albatross Centre is a protected reserve that has grown into an established colony with a population of around 140 birds.Visitors to the reserve will be briefed on the Royal Albatross lifecyle. Below is a picture of a part of that lifecycle from chicks to adults.

Royal Albatross Lifecycle

After which, they will be brought to a enclosed area where there will be binoculars to allow you to view the Albatross chicks around the reserve. I did not get to see any adults around the area. If I recall correctly, the guide says that they will be back around September.

If you wish to take photos of the chicks, be sure to get a long range lens as they are quite far away. I took the photos using a 75-300mm lens. Below are some photos of the chicks.

Royal Albatross Chick

Royal Albatross Chick

Royal Albatross Chick spreading its wings