BATTERY POINT, AUSTRALIA — New research from the University of Tasmania has found that seabirds are becoming smaller in size due to their consumption of plastic.<br /><br />Researchers analyzed the flesh-footed shearwaters on Lord Howe Island, Australia and found that their wings and bills had become shorter.<br /><br />The study was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. It found that plastic had caused the birds to have a lower body mass and decreased kidney function.<br /><br />Jennifer Lavers, lead author of the study, explained in a university news release that they took blood samples from the seabirds and found that the birds had a higher cholesterol, a higher concentration of uric acid as well as reduced blood calcium levels.<br /><br />According to the researchers, the consumption of plastic is resulting in a decline of the flesh-footed shearwaters as they are feeding their offspring tiny pieces of plastic, instead of fish.<br /><br />In the news release, Lavers said their research suggested that any amount of plastic ingestion is enough to have an impact on the health of an individual.<br /><br />The number of seabirds who die every year from eating plastic waste is estimated to be around 1 million, according to a United Nations Ocean conference factsheet from 2017.<br /><br />Seabirds mistakenly consume plastic as it looks and smells like food and floats on the surface of the water, according to the World Wild Fund for Nature Australia.
