Marine & Aquatic

Wild Seabird Plastic Ingestion Welfare Scale

Plastic ingestion by seabirds is a welfare problem at enormous scale, with millions of individuals affected globally.

Key Facts

An estimated 90% of seabirds have ingested plastic with highest rates in shearwaters and fulmars
Plastic causes internal blockages, false satiety, toxic chemical exposure, and reduced growth
Chicks fed plastic by parents suffer dehydration and starvation despite appearing fed
Ocean plastic concentrations correlate strongly with seabird plastic burden in adjacent populations

Welfare Considerations

Seabirds suffering plastic ingestion experience chronic gastrointestinal distress, nutritional deficiency, and premature death. Chicks fed plastic items experience starvation despite apparent feeding. The scale of impact across billions of individual birds makes this one of the largest acute wildlife welfare problems.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic consumption and properly recycle all plastic waste
Participate in coastal and inland litter picks removing plastic before it reaches the ocean
Support ocean plastic removal initiatives and extended producer responsibility legislation