Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
We’ve cried a little from the generosity of our supporters.

Its a really hard time for us as we closed the Royal Albatross Centre for the pandemic. Usually we’d be busy with visitors and raising money to support albatross care and carry out our mission to preserve and enhance Otago Peninsula. However currently we have no visitors, no income and are trying to plan for an unknown future. Your support gives us heart for the future as we endeavour to continue the work for the birds and people we love. Again – our sincere thanks xx

Donate via Givealittle to help albatross

Help us fly into the Future…

We need your help to support the Royal Albatross while they raise their chicks at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head – the only Royal Albatross breeding colony on a mainland anywhere in the world – its a very special place!

Help keep the Royal Albatross Centre open to inspire the next generation of conservationists; invest now to assist albatross to thrive.

For over 50 years we’ve shared the awe of seeing charismatic breeding royal albatross at the world’s only mainland colony. We’ve hosted many thousands of visitors, sharing our love of albatross, their struggles, successes and financially helped albatross survival. We’ve excited generations of school children with our education programmes, our team have volunteered to assist DOC Rangers to care for albatross, we’ve patrolled for predators and fundraised to buy supplies and equipment for albatross nurturing. We’ve helped the albatross colony grow from a few chicks to a thriving successful colony with an increasing amount of beautiful majestic albatross chicks fledging their way out into our world.

Now, with the effects of Covid 19, we’ve lost our major source of income, our visitors. The funds we raised through giving tours, hosting visitors in our cafe and selling gifts has plummeted. This means our ability to raise funds and help with albatross care and education is limited. We’re committed to staying open and sharing albatross with visitors – but we need your help!

Please help us by donating to our nest egg. This will help us support Royal Albatross care by assisting us to keep our centre open, to host visitors on tours and raise funds to support DOC with their albatross care. We’ll be able to continue our critical work on albatross promotion; inspiring people to care about wildlife and our environment making a difference to albatross survival.

The Royal Albatross Centre is a not-for profit organisation under the Otago Peninsula Trust which has been protecting and conserving wildlife including the Northern Royal Albatross for over 50 years. We are home to Royal Albatross, Little Blue Penguins, The endangered Red-billed gull and many more species. We also help facilitate, education programmes to schools, conservation research and even have our own penguinologist doing amazing research! We are home to approximately 250 albatross and 20 other species. We proudly promote Dunedin as “The Wildlife Capital of New Zealand” , encouraging people to visit and learn at the Seabird Centre with its iconic Royal Family.

Pukekura albatrosses are unique in that their colony is the only place in the world where they can be viewed on a mainland.

• The Northern Royal Albatross is a taonga species, valued and admired by all New Zealanders and international visitors

– Albatross have one chick every two years, mating in September/October, eggs laid in October/November, chicks hatched January/February and raised until they fledge September/October. The parents then have a year off.

• Viewing royal albatrosses at Pukekura contributes to eco-tourism in Dunedin

• Chicks fledge in September and don’t come back for 4-7 years.

Pukekura is an unmissable wildlife paradise. The headland is home to the korora (Little Blue Penguin) Colony, the Royal Albatross Colony, a seal colony and nine types of nesting birds with over 20 species spotted around the area.