Laysan Albatross Research Paper

Impacts of Plastics on Laysan Albatross

Located across the Pacific Ocean is a seabird known as the Laysan Albatross. These large birds glide gently over large distances with little to no wingbeats a day. They generally appear around the sandy beaches of the Hawaiian Islands. They have large heads with long, thin wings while showing off a vibrant white color across the body with dark circles around the eyes. These seabirds eat during the night by sitting on the water and catching smaller prey with their bills. (Ornithology) These seabirds, however, have been affected by plastic being left in the ocean and on the ground. Since the Laysan Albatross eats their food from the top of the water, they usually mistake their food for pieces of plastic and end up being harmed in the process. The plastic that these seabirds eat are hard for them to digest which causes it to become stuck inside of the bird’s body which starves them and kills them in the process. Also the Laysan Albatross can pass this plastic on to their chicks, mistaking it for food which then kills the chicks as well due to the plastic being literally impossible to digest. (Portal) Due to these issues involving plastic, it has been causing a decline in the Laysan

While it may be too late for some adults to learn the consequences of their actions on the environment and its animals, it is not too late, however, for children to learn and grow up doing the right thing. Then, hopefully this way species such as the Laysan Albatross won’t be so close to being endangered anymore and can have an opportunity to breed again. The Laysan Albatross is a beautiful species that should be seen by everyone and not something that should simply fade away. The earth needs biodiversity and taking away this exotic seabird would only hurt the earth more than how it already