Subj : Otago albatross chick dies after swallowing plastic To : All From : News Person Date : Mon Mar 11 2024 01:19 pm A ten-day-old toroa, also known as a northern royal albatross, has died from ingesting soft plastic regurgitated by its parent. The Department of Conservation said the death highlights the threat plastic pollution poses to New Zealand's vulnerable seabirds. DOC Coastal Otago biodiversity ranger Sharyn Broni said the death is the first of its kind at the Pukekura/Taiaroa Head colony. But she added rangers feared something like this could happen after other incidents involving plastic rubbish in recent years. Broni said DOC staff found plastic in "almost all" the toroa chick regurgitations checked last season, with the most common plastics found being bottlecaps. "The parent will have picked up the plastic while foraging at sea and then regurgitated it for the chick, which unfortunately has blocked the digestive system. "This heartbreaking incident is a reminder it's vital to dispose of plastic rubbish carefully. People can also help by picking up litter they see on beaches, near waterways, or out on the ocean. Every piece you pick up could save a seabird's life." Te Poari a Pukekura chair Nadia Wesley Smith said every little bit of plastic discarded has an impact on the delicate balance of the environment. "The devastating death of this albatross chick serves as a poignant reminder our actions, no matter how small, can have profound consequences not only on the mauri of Pukekura and the toroa that live there, but also on the world around us." Broni said there have been other close calls in recent years, like when a 9cm long plastic pony toy was found in a chick's nest in May 2021, which had been regurgitated by a parent. Luckily, the chick didn't swallow it. She added plastic pollution is a significant threat facing New Zealand's seabirds like toroa, because they can mistake floating plastic for food and eat it. "Algae can grow on the plastic making it smell like food and can encourage the birds to eat it. As well as being a risk for chicks, it can also kill adult birds because it sits in the stomach and they can't digest it, causing dehydration or starvation." Dunedin Wildlife Hospital Director Lisa Argilla said vets were distressed plastic was the cause of death of this toroa chick. "The soft but very tough plastic was discovered at necropsy and had caused an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract which ultimately led to starvation and organ failure. We echo the call from DOC to please dispose of plastic carefully, even better would be to try to limit how much plastic you use and therefore reduce waste." Dunedin Wildlife Hospital Director Lisa Argilla said vets were distressed plastic was the cause of death of this toroa chick. "The soft but very tough plastic was discovered at necropsy and had caused an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract which ultimately led to starvation and organ failure. "We echo the call from DOC to please dispose of plastic carefully, even better would be to try to limit how much plastic you use and therefore reduce waste." Toroa, one of the largest seabirds in the world, have a conservation status of Nationally Vulnerable. Their threats other than plastic pollution include the impacts of climate change on their habitat and food sources, and fishing bycatch. They only return to land to breed, and breed slowly - one chick every two years. --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/64) * Origin: S.W.A.T.S BBS Telnet swatsbbs.ddns.net:2323 (63:10/102) .