Rationale
(Changed due to Criteria revision)
The regional population of Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur satisfies the criterion for Vulnerable under D2 (population with a very restricted area of occupancy or number of locations (typically five or fewer) such that it is prone to the effects of human activities or stochastic events within a very short time period in an uncertain future, and is thus capable of becoming Critically Endangered or even Extinct in a very short time period). However, it was felt that it was unlikely that stochastic events or human activities at the Prince Edward islands would lead to this species becoming Critically Endangered within one to two generations although there was a possibility that such activities could result in this species being listed as Vulnerable or Endangered during that period. As a result, Fairy Prion was assessed as regionally Near Threatened.
Distribution
The Fairy Prion is found around the Southern Ocean, in three distinct regions: around islands south-east of Australia and Tasmania and all around New Zealand and its associated subAntarctic islands; at the southern Indian Ocean islands (including Marion and Prince Edward islands); and the Falklands and South Georgia islands (Onley and Scofield 2007).
Population
The global population is estimated at c. 5 million mature individuals (Brooke 2004). The Marion Island population experienced major decreases as a result of predation by domestic cats Felis catus, introduced to Marion in 1948 (van Aarde 1980, Schramm 1986). Prior to this, the species was probably widely distributed on both islands in the group. The regional population size unknown, but the species is relatively common at sea around the islands. Barnes and Huyser (1998) listed the regional population as numbering in the 100s, but without substantiation.
Population trend
The global population is thought to be stable in absence of any evidence showing declines (BirdLife International 2014). The regional population trend is thought to be positive due to the removal of domestic cats from Marion Island (Cooper et al. 1995). The confidence in this regional trend estimate is medium.
Threats
The threat from cat predation on Marion Island was removed by eradicating all cats by 1991 (Bester et al. 2002). There are no other known threats.
Conservation
Underway
None for this species, only generic conservation measures for the breeding islands. The Prince Edward Islands are listed as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, and as a Special Nature Reserve under the Environment Conservation Act (No 73 of 1989) and managed under the Prince Edward Islands Management Plan 1996. The Prince Edward Islands Marine Protected Area was proclaimed in 2013.
Proposed
No conservation measures are currently proposed, as there are no overt threats known to the Fairy Prion in the region.
Research
* Information is required on population numbers and trends on Marion and Prince Edward islands.
* Virtually nothing is known about many basic demographic parameters for this species at the Prince Edward Islands. Knowledge of breeding success, recruitment parameters, longevity, breeding frequency, sex-based differences in parental investment, age/sex structure, etc. would be useful for modelling population trends; currently all this information would have to be inferred from other areas or sister taxa.
* Movements of this species during and outside the breeding season are unknown, including the geographical range of juveniles.
