Auckland Island

Tags: Auckland Island, New Zealand

Date: December 31, 2024

Western rockhopper penguins on the kelp-covered coastline of Auckland Island:

Dinghy ride into some impressive sea caves at Musgrave Inlet:

Nesting light-mantled sooty albatross:

A tussock grass and megeherb-covered hill side with nesting Southern royal albatross dotted around the hill:

Some views of Carnley Harbor on Auckland Island with the cruise ship in the background:

Victoria Passage looking from Auckland Island over to Adams Island:

Another view:

Adams Island is important as a breeding site for several species of seabirds as well as the endemic Auckland shag, Auckland teal, Auckland rail and Auckland snipe. It is unique in the Auckland Island Archipelago in that no introduced mammals have ever been established on Adams Island, probably due to the strong currents in the Victoria Passage separating Adams Island from Auckland Island and its fauna is significantly different from that of the other islands in the archipelago, some of which still has introduced pigs, cats and mice.

Albatross soaring on the wind at a sheer cliff side:

Albatross and giant petrels both have a so-called shoulder lock, a sheet of tendon that locks the wing when fully extended, allowing the wing to be kept outstretched without spending any energy.