Alexei Volkov
Albatrosses are magnificent seabirds with a wingspan of up to 12 feet, allowing them to glide over the ocean at up to 70 mph without flapping their wings. They are at risk of extinction due to human activities, with plastic pollution being a significant contributor. Albatrosses often mistake plastic waste floating in the ocean for food, leading to internal injuries, starvation, and death. The impact of plastic ingestion on albatross chicks is particularly devastating, with high concentrations of plastic causing physical damage to their organs and reducing their chances of survival. The accumulation of plastic in the oceans, especially in areas like Midway Atoll, poses a severe threat to albatross populations and underscores the urgent need for addressing our broken relationship with the planet.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic ingestion causes death by | Blocking their oesophagus, stomach or intestines |
| Cutting their stomachs or intestines | |
| Taking up space in their stomachs, causing starvation | |
| Bonding to other pollutants and increasing their concentration | |
| Leading to organ damage | |
| Toxic trace elements in ingested plastic | |
| Lead poisoning | |
| Plastic in the ocean is caused by | Land litter that washes down storm drains |
| Fishing nets and lines discarded by fishing boats | |
| Single-use items like drink bottles, food wrappers and grocery bags | |
| Plastic leaked from towns and cities | |
| Marine plastic debris | |
| Plastic ingestion is | More likely to cause death than getting caught in fishing gear |
| An underestimated cause of death for southern hemisphere albatrosses | |
| A cause of death for up to 17.5% of near-shore albatross deaths in the southern hemisphere | |
| A cause of death for 3.4% of albatross deaths in near-shore areas of Australia and New Zealand | |
| A cause of death for 17.5% of albatross deaths in more polluted near-shore areas like Brazil |
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What You'll Learn
Albatrosses mistake plastic for food
Albatrosses are highly susceptible to ingesting plastic due to their feeding habits. Albatrosses, such as the Laysan albatross, feed by skimming the ocean surface with their beaks to catch fish, squid, and other seafood. This makes them more likely to accidentally consume floating plastic.
Albatross parents may unintentionally feed plastic to their chicks, mistaking it for food. The plastic consumed by albatrosses can include large pieces, like bottle caps and lighters, as well as tiny plastic particles indiscernible to the human eye. The plastic ingested often resembles the prey of albatrosses, such as multicoloured squid or cuttlefish near the ocean's surface.
The plastic consumed can cause physical harm to albatrosses by tearing or blocking their digestive systems, leading to death. It can also create a false sense of fullness, causing nutritional deprivation and starvation. Additionally, plastic in the albatrosses' stomachs can absorb toxic pollutants, further endangering their health.
The impact of plastic ingestion on albatross mortality has been studied, with research indicating that plastic ingestion may cause up to 17.5% of near-shore albatross deaths in the southern hemisphere. In more polluted areas, such as off the coast of Brazil, plastic ingestion is estimated to cause an even higher proportion of albatross deaths.
The issue of albatrosses mistaking plastic for food has gained attention through the work of artist and filmmaker Chris Jordan, who has documented the plight of albatrosses on Midway Atoll, a remote Pacific island that serves as a refuge for both albatross colonies and trash. Jordan's photographs and films highlight the stark contrast between the vibrant colours of ingested plastic and the sterility of death, serving as a powerful symbol of our planet's plight.
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Plastic ingestion leads to high concentrations of toxic trace elements
Albatrosses are among the world's most imperiled vertebrates, with 73% of species threatened with extinction. They are magnificent seabirds with wingspans of up to 12 feet, which is larger than any other living bird. They can stay over a year at sea without touching land, as they sleep while flying. Albatrosses are especially susceptible to ingesting plastic due to the chemical DMS, which is emitted by plastic after brief exposure to saltwater. This chemical tricks the albatross into thinking the plastic is food.
Research has identified particulate plastics as a vector for toxic trace elements in the environment. The adsorption of toxic trace elements by plastics may be facilitated by their high surface area and functionalized surfaces. Other factors, such as environmental conditions (e.g., pH and water salinity), also influence the adsorption of trace elements onto plastics.
The ingestion of plastic has been linked to decreased survival rates in juvenile seabirds, with concentrations of toxic trace elements observed at high levels in relation to the amount of plastic ingested. Linear regression analysis revealed a strong correlation between low chick survival rates and the concentrations of trace metals, specifically lead, detected in feathers. The results indicated that increased plastic consumption leads to higher concentrations of toxic trace elements, contributing to lower chick survival and an overall population decline.
The impact of plastic ingestion on albatross health is a serious concern, with plastic causing physical damage to internal organs and leading to nutritional deprivation. As plastic waste continues to pollute the oceans, the risk of albatrosses ingesting plastic and suffering from the associated health effects will only increase.
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Plastic can cause physical damage to internal organs
Albatrosses are highly susceptible to ingesting plastic due to the chemical DMS, which is emitted by plastic after exposure to saltwater for even less than a month. This chemical tricks the albatross into thinking the plastic is food, which is then ingested by the bird. Albatrosses are especially vulnerable to this because they skim the surface of the water with their beaks to catch their food.
The ingested plastic can cause physical damage to the internal organs of albatrosses. Sharp plastic pieces may slice up an albatross's stomach or intestines, or fatally obstruct their digestion. Plastic pieces can also stay in their stomach, taking up space and causing starvation over time. This is because the plastic creates a false sense of fullness, tricking the bird into thinking it is not hungry.
In addition to the physical damage caused by plastic, the plastic in the birds' stomachs can also bond to other pollutants, increasing their concentration. These extreme concentrations and leaching toxins often lead to organ damage and eventual death.
The impact of plastic ingestion on albatrosses has been documented by photographer and filmmaker Chris Jordan, who has captured images of dead albatross chicks with the plastic that killed them. Jordan's work shines a light on the crisis facing the colonies of albatrosses on remote Pacific islands, where the birds are surrounded by plastic pollution.
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Plastic is often fed to chicks by their parents
Laysan albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis) are incredible birds with a wingspan of over 6 feet. They can live for over 50 years and will often stick with a single mate for their entire lifespan. However, they face a significant threat from the plastic that humans have dumped into our oceans.
Albatrosses often feed their chicks plastic, mistaking it for food. This is especially true of Laysan albatrosses, who catch their food by skimming the surface of the water with their beaks, where much of the plastic floats. The plastic that adult albatrosses pick up is then fed to their chicks.
The plastic that adult albatrosses swallow can be regurgitated, but chicks are unable to do this, so their stomachs fill up with plastic. It is probable that this injures or kills the birds by cutting their stomachs or taking up space, making them feel "full" when they are actually starving.
Photographs taken by artist Chris Jordan on Midway Atoll, a group of islands in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument, show the decomposing carcasses of Laysan albatross chicks and the plastic that will remain there far longer than their bones. One study found that 97.5% of chicks had plastic in their stomachs, and an estimated 5 tons of plastic are fed to albatross chicks each year at Midway Atoll.
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Plastic pollution is a serious threat to albatross populations
Albatrosses, with their impressive wingspans of up to 12 feet, spend most of their lives flying over the ocean. They are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of plastic pollution, which has been increasing at alarming rates. The plastic they ingest can tear or block their esophagus, stomach, or intestines, resulting in fatal consequences. Additionally, plastic in their stomachs can make them feel full, causing starvation as they do not consume enough nutrient-rich food.
The impact of plastic pollution on albatross chicks is especially concerning. Adult albatrosses unintentionally feed plastic to their chicks, mistaking it for food. Studies have found high levels of plastic in the stomachs of chicks, with some containing twice as much plastic as their healthy counterparts. This ingestion of plastic has led to decreased fledging weights and significantly lower survival rates, contributing to an overall decline in albatross populations.
The problem is exacerbated by the nesting habits of albatrosses. They often choose remote islands, such as Midway Atoll, as their nesting grounds. However, these remote locations become hotspots for plastic pollution, with tons of plastic accumulating each year. The combination of plastic ingestion and other threats, such as rising sea levels and temperature changes, pose a significant danger to albatross populations.
The impact of plastic pollution on albatrosses has been documented by artists and filmmakers like Chris Jordan, whose work highlights the stark contrast between the beauty of these birds and the deadly impact of plastic. While individual efforts to reduce plastic consumption are important, systemic change is necessary to address this global issue effectively. Initiatives to reduce single-use plastics, improve recycling programs, and decrease corporations' reliance on plastic packaging are crucial steps toward protecting albatross populations and our planet's health.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic can kill albatrosses by tearing or blocking their oesophagus, stomach or intestines. Plastic can also take up space in their stomachs, tricking them into thinking they are full and starving them. Albatrosses are also poisoned by the toxic trace elements that accumulate on plastic.
Albatrosses often skim the surface of the water with their beaks to catch fish, squid and other seafood. In doing so, they accidentally swallow floating plastic. Albatross chicks are also fed plastic by their parents.
Albatrosses on Midway Atoll in the North Pacific Ocean are known to have a particular problem with plastic. However, the problem is not limited to this area. Albatrosses are highly migratory and even those that live in less polluted areas are at risk as they wander into polluted waters.
