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Midway Atoll, where these photos were taken, is more than 2,000 miles from the nearest land.
Slideshow

Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem

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With their brown and yellow markings, seaside sparrows (Ammodramus maritimus) blend in well with marshgrass.
Article

Beyond the Sea: How Oil Spills in the Ocean Affect Birds On Land

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Artist Chris Jordan, who took these photos, is making a documentary about Laysan albatrosses on Midway Atoll and their plastic problem. Watch the trailer.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 10

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Laysan albatross chicks are fed and raised by their parents for 180 days, until they are almost fully grown. Some older “chicks” are as large as their parents!
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 8

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The plastic includes big pieces, such as bottle caps and cigarette lighters, as well as plastic confetti, indiscernible to the human eye.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 6

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Laysan albatrosses will fly hundreds of miles to catch food to feed for their chicks. Or, rather, what looks like food: sometimes they catch floating plastic instead.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 5

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One study found that 97.5% of chicks had plastic in their stomachs, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 3

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Midway Atoll, where these photos were taken, is more than 2,000 miles from the nearest land.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 1

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An estimated 5 tons of plastic are fed to albatross chicks each year at Midway Atoll.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 4

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Much of the plastic comes from litter on land, which washes down storm drains and eventually makes it to the ocean. Some bits are from fishing nets and lines discarded by fishing boats.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 7

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If this chick had survived, it could have lived a long time: Laysan albatrosses are very long-lived birds. The oldest known wild bird is a 62-year old Laysan albatross named “Wisdom,” who still rears chicks on Midway Atoll.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 9

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Midway Atoll, where these photos were taken, is more than 2,000 miles from the nearest land.These photos portray baby albatrosses, which are fed the plastic by their parents. A chick can have an ounce of plastic in its belly and remain healthy; the dead ch
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 2

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