Largest of the Great Albatosses, with a wingspan of 3.6m the huge Southern Royal Albatross breeds on New Zealand's Campbell and Auckland Islands. From there it circumnavigates the entire southern Ocean between 36 and 63° south. Filmed at Kaikoura on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island; a special place to see pelagic seabirds. This is because of the Kermadec Trench, formed by the subduction of Pacific plate under the Australian Plate is a few km offshore. This brings up cold, nutrient rich water from the depths, attracting the birds of the Southern Ocean close to shore. Also see vimeo.com/147215815 for the pelagic experience.
Filmed from a boat operated by Albatross Encounter of Kaikoura.
also on newzealandwildlife.tv