The Birds on This Tiny, Remote Island Are so Full of Plastic Their Bellies Crunch

Researchers make disturbing discovery inside seabirds' stomachs after coastal survey: 'What’s been seen can’t be unseen'

A researcher has offered up her harrowing experience while studying the impacts of plastic pollution on birds in Australia — perhaps to some political effect. What's happening? Lord Howe Island, off the East coast of the Australian mainland, offers a world-renowned sanctuary known for its unique ecosystem and its rich biodiversity. The region boasts the planet's southernmost coral reef and a range of flora and fauna, including endemic and threat…

The birds on this tiny, remote island are so full of plastic their bellies crunch

On a remote, crescent-shaped island surrounded by crystal clear ocean, live some of the most plastic-contaminated birds in the world. Scientist say the crisis is getting worse.

These Island Birds Are So Full of Plastic They Crunch When You Touch Them

On Lord Howe Island—a remote volcanic outpost with fewer than 500 residents—tens of thousands of seabirds are filling up with plastic. So much, in fact, that their bellies literally crunch when touched. “There is now so much plastic inside the birds that you can feel it on the outside of the animal when it is still alive,” said Dr. Jen Lavers, a marine biologist who has studied the island’s mutton birds, or shearwaters, for nearly two decades. “…

In Pictures: Every week a remarkable image of a scientific event. This week: the consequences of plastic pollution for seabirds. The…

Australian scientists have discovered that dolphin birds from the Lord Howe Island have so much plastic in their stomach that they take off the sandy sand when they are pressed easily.The Lord...

Australian Island Birds Are So Full of Plastic They Crackle and Crunch

Australian scientists have discovered that mutton birds on Lord Howe Island have so much plastic in their stomachs that they clackle and crunch under pressure.