A 5-day-old royal albatross chick began a life of internet stardom yesterday with the launch of a webcam at Taiaroa Head.
The livestream, shot using a repurposed security camera trained on the chick's nest, went live at 10am yesterday and almost instantly attracted dozens of observers.
Watch the webcam below:
Department of Conservation Taiaroa Head ranger Lyndon Perriman said the camera would stay live for the next eight months, or to the day when the chick left the headland.
The chick was too vulnerable to be left alone for the first four to six weeks of its life, so one of its parents would be at the nest protecting it at all times, Mr Perriman said.
After that, the chick would never stray far from the nest because otherwise it would not get fed.
"[The chick is] left for extended periods by itself in the nest, and albatross [chicks] don't generally move away from the nest because [the parents] aren't going to say, ‘Hey, we're going to be back at five on Tuesday','' Mr Perriman said.
"So if the chick's not at the nest, it's not going to get fed.''
This was the Taiaroa Head colony's first experience with livestreaming, and Mr Perriman said it had been "a long process getting up to this stage''.
A camera had to be chosen that would withstand rough weather conditions, and a breeding pair that would adapt well to the security camera also had to be selected.
Now that it was operating, though, it was "a fantastic opportunity'', he said.
Seeing albatross was often "a once in lifetime experience'' for people.
"Here's an opportunity ... [to] watch [an albatross chick] grow up before your eyes by logging on on a regular basis.
"You can see the whole breeding life cycle of that chick.''
● doc.govt.nz/royalcam
