Wildlife Welfare

Seabird Plastic Ingestion and Welfare

Marine plastic pollution causes widespread suffering and mortality in seabirds through ingestion, entanglement, and nesting material contamination.

Key Facts

Over 90% of seabirds globally have ingested plastic debris
Albatrosses feed plastic to chicks, causing starvation and internal injury
Entanglement in plastic debris causes drowning, injury, and restricted feeding
Microplastics are increasingly found in seabird eggs and tissues
Beach clean-ups reduce plastic availability but source reduction is essential for long-term impact

Welfare Considerations

Plastic pollution causes immense suffering to seabirds through internal injury, nutritional displacement, and entanglement. While individual rescue helps, systemic reduction of plastic entering marine environments is the only solution at scale.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic consumption and ensure proper disposal
Participate in beach and coastal clean-up events
Support campaigns and legislation targeting plastic pollution at source