New Zealand's most watched albatross egg may start hatching this weekend on the Otago Peninsula. Seven chicks have already hatched at the northern royal albatross colony under the care of Department of Conservation rangers. The chick at the centre of DOC's popular Royal Cam albatross livestream is predicted to fully emerge from its egg in early February. DOC wildlife ranger Sharyn Broni said the six-day hatching process could be risky for chicks, especially from flystrike. "If they lay their eggs or maggots on a hatching egg or a young chick then that's a lot of work for us to keep that chick alive because the maggots will eat wherever they can.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 24, 2020 21:22 UTC