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Only a small portion of marine plastic is found at the surface of the oceans, with the majority sinking to greater depths of the seafloor. Plastics consistently make up 60 to 90% of all marine debris studied and have been found in 100% of marine turtles, 59% of whales, 36% of seals, and 40% of seabird species examined.

Most of us don’t realize the extent of such harm until we get to face it. So, let’s take a closer look at sea birds to open our eyes!

Warning: the video contains scenes that might be disturbing to some viewers.

Scientists have been tracking plastic ingestion by seabirds for decades and they found a disturbing link between the increasing rate of plastic production and the amounts found inside the animals. 

90% of seabirds have swallowed plastic at some time in their life because it was mistaken for food! This way, there is little room left in their gut for actual food and the animals die of hunger. Another tragic end is caused by sharp-edged plastic punching holes in the internal organs.

Where do these animals find these big amounts of plastic debris? Let’s find out!