Spreading the word about albatrosses

Royal Albatross Centre marketing manager Janice Huang draws attention to the inaugural World Albatross Day in central Dunedin yesterday.

The hour-long event in the Octagon gave about 30 visitors a chance to test the size of their own outstretched arms against the 3m wing span of an adult albatross.

Albatross centre marketing manager Sophie Barker said the day was filled with activities which aimed to raise the profile of the albatross and the threats they faced.

Seventeen albatross species can be found across New Zealand waters and territories, and 11 species of albatross breed here.

Around the world, many populations of albatross continue to decline and about 80% of albatross species are threatened.