A live camera known as Royal Cam is installed in a Royal Albatross habitat on the Otago Peninsula at the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island. A chick is being watched by people all over the world through this camera.
We've covered Albatross in detail here on New Zealand Wine Lovers, so be sure to check out our previous articles.
The name of this albatross chick has now been decided!
Nickname is Princess
This chick has always been called Royal Cam Chick. Fans on social media had started to nickname her Princess, but now she finally has an official name!
The name was chosen from five candidates through online voting. The total number of votes was 1,615. The name received 292 votes, or 31%, of the total.
Tiaki
has been decided!
Tiaki is a Maori word, the language of the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand.
- Protect
- Preserve
- Care
This means.
It is our hope that we can protect and preserve the environment that not only the albatross but all wildlife needs.
The name was announced by Sharlyn, one of the conservation officers.
5/11 10:00
— RoyalAlbatrossCam (@RoyAlbatrossCam) May 10, 2021
Introducing 'Tiaki', to protect, preserve & care. Inspired by the need to protect & preserve lands & seas that the #Royal Cam chick and other wildlife depend on.
Thanks Ranger Sharyn Broni & all the rangers caring for the albatross. https://t.co/9A481yiiom pic.twitter.com/FbaiPWbCkr
Steady growth
On May 11th, the day the name was announced, a routine weighing was carried out by conservation officers. Not only Tiaki, but the other chicks in the area were also weighed. The chick next to Tiaki, nicknamed "SSTrig", weighed in at 7.5kg, while Tiaki weighed in at 7.9kg.
When they were small, they could be easily picked up and weighed, but recently their beaks have grown so the conservation officers carefully grab them by their beaks before placing them in the cage and weighing them. The chicks' range of movement is still limited, and they can only waddle around the nest a few dozen steps, so they barely turn away when the conservation officers approach them!
Thanks to its fluffy fur, it looks big next to its parents, but compared to the low, squeaky cries of its parents, it's still a baby. But you can see its black feathers starting to show. It's proof that it's slowly growing into an adult albatross.
5/10 9:51
— RoyalAlbatrossCam (@RoyAlbatrossCam) May 10, 2021
Stop & watch to see the beauty in birds. This #RoyalCam chick is growing up before our eyes. Note her feathers changing.
Set your watches for the announcement of the chick's official name.
Watch live stream at 10am NZST – Tuesday May 11. https://t.co/9A481yiiom pic.twitter.com/EZupSIoGLj
From here, the chicks gradually expand their range, regrow their feathers, and take on a more adult appearance.
The threat of plastic
Recently, a shocking incident like this was reported.
Here's another chick near Tiaki with a plastic toy at its feet, apparently brought there by its parent bird along with some food.
Fortunately, the chick did not swallow it and no serious injuries occurred, but what if it had done so and the parent bird had not been able to spit it out?
In recent years, the negative impact of plastic accumulation in the ocean on marine life has become a problem, but it is also a major threat to seabirds such as albatrosses. This makes us realize once again the importance of reducing our use of plastic and recycling it properly.
Bringing you the latest highlights
5/8 20:18
— RoyalAlbatrossCam (@RoyAlbatrossCam) May 9, 2021
Penguin dreams. 2 little blue penguins appear on cam. Though #RoyalCam chick is oblivious, in deep zzz.
Watch for & hear their vocalising (20:23:10). Perhaps negotiating their exit back to their burrow?
Always a surprise what you see on the cam. pic.twitter.com/mX6e3dJ5kA
This is a night camera. Tiaki is sleeping soundly in the middle of the screen, but on the left side, you can see two Blue Penguins! You can clearly see them moving around at about 50 seconds into the video. You can also hear them calling.
Here, you can see another chick next to Tiaki... However, this chick is not the "SSTrig" chick next to Tiaki that is usually shown in the video, but a little way down to the south of the chicks!
This was their first appearance on camera, with all three birds seen together.
This is a photo of Tiaki when she was young with her mother bird, posted recently on Mother's Day.
Tiaki's activities are streamed 24 hours a day on YouTube, and highlights are posted daily on Twitter, so be sure to check it out.
