Ngaire Hart, Subantartic Predators on Macquarie Island (ANIMAL & NATURE 2025)

Giant Petrels and Brown Skuas are significant seabirds on Macquarie Island, in the Southern Ocean, part of the Subantartic Islands and are owned by Australia. They are known for their scavenging and predatory and opportunistic behaviour; playing a vital role in the islands ecosystem. The Giant Petrel have two large tube nostrils, strong legs and a hooked bill. On land the Giant Petrels and Skuas scavenge the colonies of penguins and seals. The baby Skua appeared out of the giant cabbages and was fed a penguin by its parents. I watched this interaction from the boardwalk. Skuas also steal eggs, eat young penguins and milk from the seals who have had their pups recently. Macquarie Island is the only place on Earth made entirely of oceanic frust and rocks from the mantle. It has diverse land birds, seals and endemic plant life. Being a Heritage site offered a rare chance to experience unspoiled natural beauty.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.