Sooty the albatross not quite ready to spread his wings

Chrissy Jefferson is appealing for a small donation to pay for flying Sooty the albatross to Massey University for essential deep pool rehabilitation before he is released. Photo/George Novak

Sooty the albatross, found more dead than alive in downtown Tauranga, is in the final stages of his recuperation back to full health after weeks of devoted care by Chrissy Jefferson.

The light mantled sooty albatross has been flown to the Wild Base Hospital at Palmerston North's Massey University where deep water treatment was needed to build up his wings and get the pressure off his feet.

However, as was often the case with Mrs Jefferson's native bird hospital at Oropi, she has had to pay the $140 airfare out of her own savings to get the bird to Massey.

Running the hospital was a huge drain on her resources and, because the Department of Conservation did not pay for sick or injured native birds to be transported, she has appealed to the public to recoup at least some of Sooty's transport costs.

"If anyone wants to contribute to the airfare, it would be very much appreciated," Mrs Jefferson said.

Storms were suspected to have blown the albatross more than 1000km from his normal range around New Zealand's subantarctic islands, and he was found in a severely weakened condition in Tauranga's downtown.

Medicines and good food had restored Sooty's strength to the point where he now needed the deep water therapy for not only his feet and wings, but to allow him to properly preen himself so he became waterproof again.

"All these things have to be right for him to be released."

Mrs Jefferson said there had been lots of interest in Sooty since the article in the Bay of Plenty Times about the work of the Oropi Native Bird Trust.

Sooty's legs were bandaged because he had great difficulty standing and was taking his weight on the hocks of his legs.

"It is like someone getting bed sores."