Procellariformes in zoos ?

Haliaeetus

Haliaeetus

Well-Known Member
Hello,

I've seen recently a picture of a Laysan Albatross displayed in Monterey Bay aquarium.

Do you know what procellariforme species (i.e. Petrels, Shearwaters, Albatrosses) are currently or historically kept in zoos worldwide ?

Are them only rescued birds or purposely maintained ones ? Can they live long in captivity ? Is it possible to breed some species ?

Thank you for your answers.
 
There are very few, all are rescues just like the albatross at Monterey Bay.

Sea Life Park Hawaii has (had?) a Wedge-tailed Shearwater.
 
The pair of Laysan Albatross in Monterey Bay Aquarium are rescues, and I as far as I know they are the only Procellariformes currently in zoos.
My understanding is that these birds tend not to do well in captivity (at least partly due to the fact that in the wild, they spend a large portion of their lives at sea and it is impossible to replicate this in a zoo), though it has been tried in the past.

As for historically kept Procellariformes:
Taronga had at least one giant-petrel around 1915-1920, though I do not expect it would have lasted long. It was kept pinioned in a mixed exhibit with seals.

Former holdings according to Zootierliste -

London Zoo: White-bellied Storm Petrel, Black-browed Albatross, Wandering Albatross, Leach's Storm Petrel, Balearic Shearwater, Cape Petrel, Great Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Northern Fulmar, Yelkouan Shearwater

Artis Zoo: Black-browed Albatross, Leach's Storm Petrel, Northern Fulmar, Northern Giant-petrel, Southern Giant-petrel

Birdland Park and Gardens: Black-browed Albatross

Vogelpark Avifauna: Black-footed Albatross

Tierpark Berlin: Leach's Storm Petrel, Northern Fulmar

Haagse Dierenten: Leach's Storm Petrel

Wellington Zoo: Taiko

Frankfurt Zoo: Manx Shearwater

Lotherton Wildlife World: Manx Shearwater

Chester Zoo: Manx Shearwater

Paignton Zoo: Manx Shearwater

Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary and Wildlife Centre: Northern Fulmar

Zoo am Meer: Northern Fulmar

Dresden Zoo: Northern Fulmar

Koln Zoo: Northern Fulmar

De Koog Ecomare: Northern Fulmar

Hamburg Zoo: Southern Giant-petrel

Rostock Zoo: Southern Giant-petrel
 
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Aardwolf said:
I've given them belly rubs and had my arm nibbled by them. They're albatrosses alright
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Worth looking in the Avicultural Magazine online index:
*at least one pair of (Short-tailed?) Shearwaters (rescue birds) has burrowed and laid an egg under captive conditions
*a (Laysan?) Albatross lived for nine years in a Zoo (Brookfield?)
 
Tubenoses picked as rescue birds practically always die within days. Probably when they can no longer fly they are already dying from other reasons.

Honolulu Zoo kept or keeps several rescued albatrosses for years, and even once an egg was laid - although zoo made no attempt to let it hatch.

Raising chicks was successful for albatrosses and shearwaters several times, for the purpose of re-creating lost nesting colonies. Seaworld San Diego raised giant petrel chicks from eggs several decades ago for their penguin exhibit, although there is no trace how long their lived afterwards.

So, besides a handful of lightly injured rescued albatrosses, it looks like no tubenose was ever maintained in human care for a longer period.
 
I've also heard rumours of Fulmar breeding within private collections in Belgium and other European countries.
Does anyone could infirm or confirm that?
 
I've always wondered what the enclosure for Monterey Bay Aquarium's Laysan Albatrosses is like behind the scenes. To my knowledge, it is not on public display, and the birds are only visible to the public during a talk featuring the birds. How would one care for albatrosses in captivity, even flightless ones like MBA's? I imagine they would require a body of water for swimming? An enclosure similar to that for penguins for flightless albatrosses?
 
DaLilFishie said:
I've always wondered what the enclosure for Monterey Bay Aquarium's Laysan Albatrosses is like behind the scenes. To my knowledge, it is not on public display, and the birds are only visible to the public during a talk featuring the birds. How would one care for albatrosses in captivity, even flightless ones like MBA's? I imagine they would require a body of water for swimming? An enclosure similar to that for penguins for flightless albatrosses?
Click to expand...
If you’ve ever seen an off-exhibit holding for ambassador penguins, it looks a fair bit like that. They have a pool and a land area. It’s fairly simple and easy to clean and maintain
 
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