Birds and Plastic Pollution
There is a lot of plastic in the ocean. Â Litter is actually dumped directly into the ocean from ships and offshore dumping. Â Run off from drainage systems and rivers carries vast amounts of trash into the ocean. Â It is estimated that ships dup 6.5 million tons of waste into the ocean every year (Derraik 2002, Hartwig et al. 2007). Â Over 13,000 pieces of plastic float on every square kilometer of ocean, with the help of ocean currents, this plastic distributed over thousands of miles. (Derriak 2002, UNEP 2005). Â Even small-uninhabited islands are being bombarded with plastic and other trash. These small pieces of derbies are having huge effects on tons of marine animals especially marine birds.
      When it comes to birds, especially seabirds, this waste is having devastating effects on their lives.  For example, 95% of Laysan Albatross chicks, 73% of Southern Giant-petrel chicks have plastic in their digestive systems (Auman et al. 1997, Copello and Quintana 2003). Further more, 95% of Great Shearwater, 93% Blue Petrel and over 80% of Northern Fulmar have plastic in their digestive systems as well (Ryan et al. 1987, Moser and Lee 1992). 36% of Northern Fulmar and 29% of Black-browed Albatross stomachs contain debris such as plastic, nylon, rubber and metal wire. (Mallory et al. 2006, Petry et al. 2007).
      These findings are extremely horrifying when you think about it.  Chicks are dying at an alarming rate around the world’s oceans.  The debris ingested by these birds and especially in chicks can obstruct and even physically damage their airways and digestive systems.  This can lead to suffocation, malnutrition, starvation, and even death (BirdLife International 2008).
      There is clearly a large problem that we have to deal with now.  So how can you help? Recycle!  Think before you litter.  Use refillable products such as water bottles, soap containers, and washable food containers.  Check out this website it is loaded with information on how you can help http://riseaboveplastics.org/
                          References
Auman, H. J., Ludwig, J. P., Giesy, J. P. and Colborn, T. (1997) Plastic ingestion by Laysan Albatross chicks on Sand Island, Midway Atoll, in 1994 and 1995. Pp. 239–244 in G. Robinson and R. Gales, eds., Albatross biology and conservation. Chipping Norton: Surrey Beatty & Sons.
BirdLife International (2008) Seabirds suffer from eating "junk". Presented as part of the BirdLife State of the world's birds website. Available from: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb/casestudy/159. Checked: 08/05/2015Â
Copello, S. and Quintana, F. (2003) Marine debris ingestion by Southern Giant Petrels and its potential relationships with fisheries in the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 46: 1504–1515.
Derraik, J. G. B. (2002) The pollution of the marine environment by plastic debris: a review. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 842–852.
Hartwig, E., Clemens, T. and Heckroth, M. (2007) Plastic debris as nesting material in a Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) colony at the Jammerbugt, Northwest Denmark. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 54: 595–597.Â
Mallory, M. L., Roberston, G. J. and Moenting, A. (2006) Marine plastic debris in northern fulmars from Davis Strait, Nunavut, Canada. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 52: 800–815.
















