Wildlife

Wild Marine Plastic Ingestion Welfare

Welfare impacts of plastic ingestion on seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals, and evidence on mitigation.

Key Facts

Over 90% of seabirds have ingested plastic by some estimates
Plastic blocks the digestive tract, reduces feeding success, and causes chronic welfare harm
Microplastics accumulate in food chains and reach even the deepest ocean ecosystems
Plastic reduction at source is the only long-term solution to marine plastic welfare impacts
Beach clean programs reduce local plastic ingestion risk for coastal wildlife

Welfare Considerations

Marine plastic ingestion causes chronic suffering for affected animals through digestive blockage, nutrient dilution, and chemical exposure. For some seabirds, plastic ingestion is now almost universal, representing a welfare crisis affecting millions of individuals.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic in your household to decrease plastic entering the ocean
Support extended producer responsibility legislation for plastic packaging
Participate in beach clean programs to remove plastic from coastal environments