Bumper breeding season for albatross 

After a drastic breeding season last year life is looking good for the world's largest sea bird at Taiaroa Heads in Dunedin.

The Northern Royal albatross are enjoying a bumper egg laying season - of the 31 eggs laid, 28 are fertile

"The colony started in the late sort of 1930s from just one or two pairs there to having something like 28 pairs now, doesn't seem like a lot, but it is quite significant because we know that these things are just so slow in breeding," says Taiaroa Head ranger Lyndon Perriman.

There are only about 20,000 Northern Royal albatross left in the world - around 140 of them at Taiaroa Heads - so their breeding success is extremely important.

Although there are 28 fertile eggs at Taiaroa Heads the real success of this season won't be known until mid January when the chicks start to hatch.

See the related video for more...

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