Plastic ingestion is an underestimated cause of death for southern hemisphere albatrosses

Abstract

Albatrosses are among the world's most imperiled vertebrates, with 73% of species threatened with extinction. Ingestion of plastic is a well-recognized threat among three North Pacific species, but lesser known in the southern hemisphere, where it is considered a minor threat. As plastic entering the ocean is increasing while albatross populations decline, the threat of ocean plastic to albatross populations may be underestimated. We present case studies of 107 beach-cast albatrosses of twelve species, received by wildlife hospitals in Australia and New Zealand, and estimate plastic ingestion and mortality rates for albatrosses in the southern hemisphere. Ingested plastic was present in 5.6% of individuals, and the cause of death in half of these cases. We estimate ingestion of plastic may cause 3.4-17.5% of nearshore mortalities and is worth consideration as a substantial threat to albatross populations. We provide clinical findings and "checklist" methodologies for identifying potential cases of foreign-body gastrointestinal obstruction. We suggest practical policy responses, empowering decision makers to reduce albatross mortality from anthropogenic sources.

Foraging habitat suitability of black‐browed albatrosses Thalassarche melanophris wintering in the South‐west Atlantic Ocean: Acknowledging age class to improve conservation management

“…Seabirds, particularly those with pelagic habits such as albatrosses, are among the most threatened birds (Dias et al, 2019; Phillips, Fort & Dias, 2022). The main at‐sea threat is the interaction with commercial fisheries although other factors such climate change and pollution also affect a number of species (BirdLife International, 2018a; Dias et al, 2019; Grémillet et al, 2018; Jiménez et al, 2015; Quadri Adrogué et al, 2019; Roman et al, 2021). Satellite tracking has become an essential tool to identify distribution, habitat use and foraging grounds of seabirds, and this information can be associated with different threats in the high seas (e.g.…”

Prevalência e Tipos de Plásticos em Albatrozes e Petréis (Aves: Procellariiformes): Recorte Espacial da Costa Sudeste e Sul do Brasil, de 2015 a 2019

“…O Acordo Internacional para a Conservação dos Albatrozes e Petréis (ACAP), vinculado à Convenção sobre Espécies Migratórias (CMS) das Nações Unidas (ONU), bem como a Convenção para a Conservação dos Recursos Vivos Marinhos Antárticos (CCAMLR) e a Organização Internacional Marítima (IMO), classificam como preocupantes os impactos de macro e microplástico na dieta e no ambiente das aves marinhas. Isso é especialmente grave sobre as espécies ameaçadas de extinção, como albatrozes e petréis (Roman et al, 2020). O objetivo deste estudo foi quantificar e qualificar macroplásticos em tratos digestórios de Procellariiformes amostrados na costa sul e sudeste do Brasil, entre 2015 e 2019.…”

Plastic additives and legacy persistent organic pollutants in the preen gland oil of seabirds sampled across the globe

“…It has been predicted that by 2050, 99% of seabird species will have ingested plastics (Wilcox et al, 2015). The physical damage and direct mortality caused by ingested plastics has been widely reported (Pierce et al, 2004;Wright et al, 2013;Roman et al, 2019b;Roman et al, 2020a;Roman et al, 2021a). In addition, the potential toxicological impact caused by hazardous chemicals associated with ingested plastics is concerning (Teuten et al, 2009) because marine plastic debris contains many hazardous chemicals (Hirai et al, 2011).…”