Love is in the air, especially if you’re an albatross.
Every year, after wandering far and wide across the ocean, albatrosses will return to the same partner, perform their same secret dance and start nesting.
Unfortunately, plastic pollution has given some of these love stories a tragic end. Plastic ingestion is a leading cause of death in albatrosses. Researchers have found plastic straws, candy wrappers, balloons, plastic fragments and even toothbrushes in the stomachs of these incredible birds.
This Valentine’s Day season, the folks at the Ocean Conservancy are working to keep their home free from plastics. Last month, it was decided that there would be more negotiations for the global plastics treaty this year.
Nick Mallos, vice president of conservation, ocean plastics at the Ocean Conservancy, said:
“This extra round of negotiations is our chance to ensure this agreement meets the plastic pollution crisis with the urgency and ambition it demands. Take action now, and help us put an end to plastic pollution.
“With more than a garbage truck’s worth of plastics entering the ocean each minute, every second counts in addressing the ocean plastic-pollution crisis. While my Ocean Conservancy colleagues and I are deeply disappointed that the successful completion of an ambitious plastics treaty has been delayed, we’re still committed to fighting for an ocean free of plastic pollution.”
Right now, black-footed albatrosses are leaving their cozy coastal nests to go out to the sea and provide food for their newborn chicks. Both parents are dedicated partners helping to create a future for their young.
Mallos adds:
“It’s up to us to help create a world where those chicks can live without the threat of plastic pollution.”
For more info on how to help the Ocean Conservancy, go to oceanconservancy.org.