Watch: Endangered young albatross takes to the skies for the first time

By Euronews

Published on 28/09/2017 - 15:42 GMT+2

A vulnerable young albatross at the heart of a special breeding programme in New Zealand has taken flight for the first time.

Bird lovers have been following the youngster’s progress via a popular webcam installed near Dunedin, in the south of the country.

The Northern Royal Albatross is listed as an endangered species because ‘low habitat quality’ has led to a ‘rapid decline’ in its numbers.

The breeding programme, run by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, saw a webcam follow the birth, early life and feeding of the young bird.

The camera has attracted more than 1.6 million views and the bird was given a name (Tūmanako) following a public poll.

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