Pterodroma – in search of the Kermadec petrel
This film is not just about a vulnerable seabird but rather an intimate portrait of two Australian scientists and friends, working together in the field, who share a passion for seabird conservation and a desire to unlock the secrets of a cryptic bird about which little is known.
One thousand kilometres off the East Coast of Australia lies a small uninhabited island that is home to 100,000 seabirds one species of which is at risk and the focus of an intense search.
Nicholas Carlile and Dr Terry O’Dwyer are veteran conservation biologists absolutely devoted to the pursuit of knowledge about seabirds so that they can be conserved and protected.
On the remote 190 hectare (490 acres) Phillip Island, which lies just off the larger and better known Norfolk Island, Nicholas and Terry have been carrying out regular surveys in search of the beautiful Kermadec petrel.
No one knows where Kermadec petrels go when they leave the island but the pair have found a way of tracking these birds with state of the art technology that will allow them to reveal the bird’s movements across the globe. Together they endure many challenges and the weather to find information about the Kermadec petrel so that the species can be better protected in the future.
Click on the YouTube play icon to watch the documentary ( Duration 28min 10sec )