Plastic Kills May 2014 | Page 7

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Laysan Albatrosses are also consuming plastic and other debris on the surface of the ocean. To get food, they fly over the sea and pick up fish. However, nowadays they often mistake plastic and other things for their food.

Plastic is harmful towards all albatrosses, but it is more severe when it comes to chicks. Grown birds are able to regurgitate what they've consumed, chicks can not. The plastic doesn't break down in their digestive system and just takes up space in their stomach. This could end up in them starving themselves. Along with this, the debris they

ingest can also cut the inside of their stomachs or poisin them because of the toxins they eventually release. One study discovered that around 97.5% of albatross chicks had plastic and debris in their stomachs. Even though albatrosses are not marine animals, they are still greatly affected by this problem.