Conservation ethic runs true
THE conservation drive of one the albatross colony’s forefathers lives on in his living family.
Relatives of Lance Richdale toured the Royal Albatross Centre at Taiaroa Head yesterday.
Dr Richdale was a citizen scientist living in Dunedin who largely started the conservation efforts for the birds in the 1930s.
In Dunedin author Neville Peat’s book about the man, Seabird Genius, he says albatross eggs were vandalised and even fried and eaten before Dr Richdale’s work.
There was no fencing or protection for the birds at that time.
He is credited with beginning the effort that has culminated in the creation of the centre.
Dr Richdale’s niece Shirley Alexander said her uncle was ‘‘always studying’’.
‘‘To me he was considered a very clever man. Throughout my childhood I’d heard of the things he was doing out here and later on his tours around the world.
‘‘I feel very proud of him.’’ She and husband Donald last visited the centre in 2013 when a commemorative wall for Dr Richdale was installed at the centre.
However, it was the first time there for their daughter, Nicky Elmore, of Auckland.
Mrs Elmore said she saw many similarities between herself and her great uncle.
‘‘I read about the things that drove him and thought ‘oh these are the things that are important to me’. He had the the tenacity to do things.’’
Mrs Elmore is an Enviro schools leader in Auckland.
‘‘My role is to engender this in the next generation. I remember Uncle Lance talking about this when I was a little girl.’’
Royal Albatross Centre manager Hoani Langsbury said without Lance Richdale’s work the centre would not exist in its current form.
‘‘So from that perspective, we value that.’’
The centre wanted to ensure the legacy of Dr Richdale was protected, he said.