Seabirds spend most of their lives on the sea where they often encounter marine waste. Some seabirds unintentionally accumulate marine waste for the construction of their nests. Plastic is often taken in with nutrition or leads to entanglement. Here an albatross nest with plastic particles can be seen.
Photo: Hannah Cousin, Location: Tasmania
A grown-up albatross feeds its offspring. In this way, plastic particles are also transferred to the offspring.
Photo: Hannah Cousin, Location: Tasmania
The scientist Hannah Cousin from the University of Tasmania studies the stomach of a dead albatross for plastic remains.
Photo: Hannah Cousin, Location: Tasmania
Autopsy of a Short-tailed Shearwater chick. 96% of all birds studied had plastic in their stomachs. On average 6 plastic particles per bird were found, in particular in the gizzard (proventiculus) of the animals.
Photo: Hannah Cousin, Location: Tasmania