Wildlife

Wild Seabird Plastic Ingestion and Welfare

Seabirds mistake plastic for food, causing starvation, gut damage, and death.

Key Facts

90% of seabird species have ingested plastic
Albatross chicks are fed plastic by parents who mistake it for squid
Plastic causes gut blockage, satiety without nutrition, and chemical toxicity
Estimated 1 million seabirds die annually from plastic ingestion

Welfare Considerations

Seabirds with stomachs packed with plastic starve while feeling full. Chicks fed plastic die from malnutrition. The process is prolonged and distressing — birds continue attempting to feed on plastic that provides no nutrition. Reducing plastic production and improving waste management is a direct animal welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Eliminate single-use plastics from your daily life
Participate in beach and coastal clean-up events
Support extended producer responsibility legislation for plastics
Donate to seabird conservation and plastic pollution research