Royal Albatross

This award-winning National Film Unit production soars on thermals with the world's largest seabird, the toroa or royal albatross. Director Grant Foster captures the majesty of the flyer with a three metre-plus wingspan (“as wide as two volkswagen cars parked side by side”); laments historic slaughter; celebrates conservation efforts (hat tipping legendary toroa custodian Dr Lance Richdale); and surveys the albatross's life cycle at its only mainland breeding colony on Otago Peninsula, from courtship and nesting to taking off on an epic oceanic OE.

In reality the broad wingspan is as wide as two volkswagen cars parked side by side.

– From the narration

Key Cast & Crew

Derek Wright

Producer

Larry Pruden

Composer

Val Federoff

Sound

Brian Shennan

Sound Re-recording

John Blumsky

Narrator

Lance Richdale

Nature Adviser