Hundreds of people from around the world have had their say and now it’s your turn to choose the official name for this year’s Royal cam chick.

After a week-long competition, Te Poāri a Pukekura (the Pukekura Co-management Trust) has narrowed down a list of 481 names to their top five. They are Amiria, Ārohia, Mātātoa, Phoebe and Wikitoria.

DOC’s Threatened Species Ambassador Nicola Toki says each of the five names suit the theme of ‘female explorer’.

“From Amiria, an Aotearoa twist on Amelia Earhart to Mātātoa which means intrepid and brave in te reo Māori, each of the five names is special in its own right.

“Best of all, they’re all perfect for a flying adventurer and a princess of the skies, I can’t wait to see what ends up being chosen!”

With the top five names now selected, it’s up to people from around the world to vote on their favourite by visiting doc.govt.nz/namethechick

Te Poāri a Pukekura Trust chair Neville Peat says, “The five names selected for a public vote are all beautiful sounding and strong contenders and the winning name will be carried around the Southern Ocean with the chick when she fledges in September or early October.”

More than 150,000 people visit the Taiaroa Head’s Royal Albatross Colony each year. It’s the only place in the world to see northern royal albatross breeding on a mainland site. DOC manages the albatross colony with the support of Te Poāri a Pukekura (Pukekura Co-management Trust), the Otago Peninsula Trust and Dunedin City Council.

From one breeding pair in 1937 to more than 60 pairs in 2017, the colony has benefited from decades of DOC’s management and predator control. 10,000 seabirds are also thriving at Taiaroa Head, including threatened species like red-billed gulls and Otago shags.

The person who submitted the name that receives the most votes will win flights for two to Otago thanks to Air New Zealand, the Otago Peninsula Trust will host the lucky couple on their visit to meet the chick, and Larnach Castle will accommodate the winners in royal style for two nights. It also includes visits to view blue penguins, Fletcher House and Glenfalloch Gardens.

If the winning name was nominated in the first round by more than one person, the final prize-winner will be drawn at random by a DOC representative.

Voting closes at 10 am on Tuesday 26 June 2018.

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