Hawai'i Nature Squad
Plastic debris can kill sea animals

By the Hawai'i Nature Center

An albatross nest is cluttered with trash as debris from the ocean is swept ashore. Unsuspecting marine birds sometimes eat the plastic. Robert Schallenberger, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Detectives Andy Anole and Penny Pinao were heading out to investigate a question from Eliot Rowan of Mokule'ia about why there are so many pieces of plastic trash and fishing nets on the beach at Waimanalo.

On the beach, the detectives quickly spied a group of children. "Let's go see what they're up to. It looks like they're collecting pieces of plastic from the beach," Andy said.

"Stay incognito," Penny said. "We don't want to startle the humans." The pair quietly approached two children hard at work within a roped area.

"Let's go gather the marine debris from that corner of the transect," said the girl. "It's shocking how much rubbish is brought to the beach by waves."

"Yeah, it makes me sad to think that seabirds like the Laysan albatross eat this junk," said the boy as he leaned over the sand and picked up an old piece of nylon rope and shards of plastic.

The detectives regrouped. "Wow. We need to interview a seabird to get the rest of the story," said Penny. "I'll coast the friendly skies along the shore. If I'm lucky, I'll bump into a seabird."

"Good idea. I'll scour the terra firma for clues," Andy said.

Penny cruised a few feet above the surface of the blue ocean, hoping to run into a seabird. She wasn't paying attention to the surf — and suddenly she paid for it with salt spray in her eyes as a huge wave crashed ashore! Penny began spiraling out of control, heading close to the pounding waves.

Abruptly, her fall came to a stop atop something soft and warm. She wiped the salt from her eyes and saw that she had landed on an albatross' head!

"What luck! Thanks for the 'heads up!'" Penny joked as she peered down into the bird's round eyes, masked with black feathers.

"Aaack! Aaack!" was all the albatross could say.

"You don't look well," said Penny. "Fly over there. Let me take a look at you."

The albatross landed and opened its beak. An object was caught in the bird's throat. Penny quickly went to work to remove the object.

"Whew! Thanks," the albatross said, clearing her throat and looking relieved. "That piece of plastic would not have digested well."

"Where did all this marine debris come from?" asked Penny, taking the opportunity to solve their mystery.

"It's hard to pinpoint the origin," began the albatross. "But much of it comes from miles away. Fishermen have brought a lot of the debris, including nets and traps."

Andy scurried up as the albatross continued. "As ocean currents carry the debris, some of this floating plastic is eaten by unsuspecting marine birds. A lot of it also ends up coming ashore," the albatross said. "Some beaches, like the ones in Kahuku and Waimanalo, receive more marine debris from the ocean because of wind direction and currents."

"Thanks for the information," Penny said gratefully. "And to think that we assumed marine debris was dangerous only for the animals that live under the water!"

Hawai'i Nature Squad is written by Kim Welch, Kelly Perry and Ati Jeffers-Fabro of the Hawai'i Nature Center, an environmental education organization. It alternates in this spot with Dr. Gadget's Science Machine. Write: Hawai'i Nature Squad, c/o Hawai'i Nature Center, 2131 Makiki Heights Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822, or fax 955-0116. E-mail hawaiinaturecenter@hawaii.rr.com only if you're 13 or older.