Salvin’s albatross released by Hawke’s Bay Coastguard and Wildbase Hospital team off Napier

Typically for the team at Hawke’s Bay Coastguard, a trip out to sea means a rescue.

Yet that was not the case for their most recent outing when they assisted the Wildbase Hospital recovery team from Massey University with the release of a rehabilitated Salvin’s albatross on Tuesday.

Coastguard skipper Henry van Tuel helped out and said the albatross was found at Mahia Beach near the golf course during the New Year period.

“Normally we are assisting people so this is just nice to do something completely different and supporting diversity of life here in the bay.”

Ian Lilburn of Hawke's Bay Coastguard holding the Salvin's Albatross during its release.

He said the bird was found weak, underweight with worms, and battered by the weather off the East Coast.

The albatross was estimated to be around 3 to 4 years old, weighed 2.9kg and was fed and dewormed during its recovery in Palmerston North.

He was contacted on Monday by the Wildbase Recovery Hospital a specialist centre providing shelter and care for native wildlife recovering after treatment wanting with the release.

Van Tuel said because the bird had recently been found they wanted to release it as soon as possible so it didn’t stretch its wings in captivity and risk hurting itself.

“It was a beautiful big bird and the wings were narrow but long.”

He said the albatross was wrapped in a towel during the release to avoid the risk of human touch transferring oil onto the feathers.

The bird was given glucose through a tube and syringe before being released about 2km straight off Napier Port to give it energy to catch fish.

“They have got to shove it all the way down into its stomach because otherwise they will regurgitate.”

Van Tuel said they wanted to release the bird off Napier in familiar water to give it the best chance at survival in the wild.

“It’s always a balance because it needs wind to lift off from the water.”

According to the Department of Conservation (DoC) the Salvin’s Albatross is endemic to New Zealand with a nationally critical conservation status and can grow to a length 90cm to 100cm and weigh 3.4kg to 4.4kg.

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.