Albatross: Biology and Conservation

Chipping Norton: Surrey Beatty & Sons Pty Ltd. 1998. Hard cover. Fine in fine dust jacket.. 300 p., illustrations, maps, bibliography, index. . Albatrosses are a distinctive group of oceanic seabirds. They are the largest of the petrels, comprising 24 recognized taxa in four distinct genera, weigh 2-10 kg and have wingspans measures 2-3 m. All species, except for the Waved Alabatross, which breeds near the equator, inhabit oceanic islands in the cooler regions of both hemispheres between 30° and 55° latitude. It was the incidental capture and death of albatrosses in longline fisheries, and concern for the survival of albatross populations, that was the driving force behind the Inaugural Albatross Conference in Hobart in 1995. Being the first of its kind the conference was able to attract the most current information on albatross biology and conservation, which was presented in 37 oral papers and 36 posters by delegates. This volume is the direct result of the conference. Of the 23 chapters in this book 13 have been drawn from papers presented at the conference and 10 have been solicited to broaden the context and to make the book as comprehensive as possible. The chapters are presented in six interlocking sections--systematics and status, population studies, foraging and fisheries relationships, mortality adue to fisheries and other factors, perspectives and assessment of some fertile areas of endeavour in Albatross research and conservation.