Latest news with #seabirds
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Plastic, crude oil, laundry microfibers top causes of seabird deaths, study finds
Nearly 13 per cent of seabirds found along the country's shores had ingested marine pollutants, including plastic debris, crude oil, tar balls, and even microfibers from laundry waste, a new study revealed. A recent study by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (Epaa) in Sharjah has shed light on the alarming impact of marine pollution on the UAE's coastal wildlife. The study found that over 11 per cent of the examined seabirds had ingested marine debris, while nearly 2 per cent were found with traces of crude oil or tar balls in their digestive systems. The most commonly consumed ingested materials were plastic polymers, especially polyethylene, followed by glass, fishing hooks, and oil residues, all of which pose serious health risks to marine birds. One surprising source of pollution uncovered in the study was laundry wastewater. Researchers found that microfibers — released from synthetic fabrics during washing — accounted for nearly 78 per cent of all detected microplastics in a sub-analysis of 20 birds. This study, published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin, is the first of its kind in the Middle East to systematically examine seabird ingestion of marine debris. Analysing the digestive tracts of 478 dead seabirds from 17 species collected across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, the findings reveal the severe consequences of marine pollution on coastal wildlife, highlighting the urgent need for action to safeguard these vulnerable ecosystems. 'This study lays the scientific foundation for long-term monitoring of marine waste impacts,' said Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, chairperson of Epaa. 'It also highlights the need for urgent, collective action to protect our fragile marine ecosystems.' Among the seabirds most affected by debris ingestion were juvenile large white-headed gulls, which were found to be more susceptible than adults. This highlights the added vulnerability of younger birds and the importance of targeting conservation efforts at all stages of seabird life. The study, conducted under the Sharjah Strandings Response Program, is not only a major scientific milestone but also a catalyst for long-term monitoring of marine pollution. Researchers say the data will help inform evidence-based conservation strategies and support environmental policy development not just in the UAE, but across the Gulf. In 2023, the Epaa successfully released 158 rehabilitated seabirds back into the wild at Al Heera Beach in Sharjah. These birds, rescued from various coastal areas, were thoroughly examined, treated, and rehabilitated by qualified veterinarians. Their successful return to the sea underscores the critical importance of rescue and rehabilitation efforts, working hand-in-hand with scientific research, to protect marine wildlife. 'This is more than a scientific milestone,' Al Suwaidi added. 'It reaffirms Sharjah's position as a regional leader in environmental and biodiversity research, and shows our deep commitment to sustainability and marine life protection.' The timing of the findings could not be more urgent. As the UAE continues to develop its coastline and expand its tourism and shipping sectors, the study serves as a stark reminder of the invisible waste accumulating in our oceans and its deadly consequences for wildlife. In the UAE, there are existing marine protection laws. Under Federal Law No. 24 of 1999, discharging pollutants, such as oil waste, plastic, or hazardous materials, into UAE waters is a criminal offence. Violators face fines of up to Dh1 million, possible imprisonment, and are financially responsible for clean-up operations. The law empowers authorities to take direct action against ships, companies, or individuals whose activities harm marine ecosystems. Coinciding with World Environment Day, the Epaa hopes the study will not only raise awareness about the dangers of marine pollution but also inspire action from the public. Everyday behaviours, such as improperly discarding plastic or neglecting to use laundry filters, can have devastating long-term effects that stretch far beyond the shoreline. 'Each piece of plastic that reaches the ocean could end up in the belly of a bird,' said one marine biologist involved in the study. 'This is about more than seabirds. It's about the health of the entire marine ecosystem — and ultimately, our own.'
CBS News
28-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Rescue video of entangled bird highlights rising toll of fishing gear on South Florida wildlife
A video posted by the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station showing the rescue of a night heron caught in fishing line has drawn more than 13,000 views in less than 24 hours-and renewed attention to the growing impact of fishing-related injuries on native wildlife in South Florida. Rescue captured on video The Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, located near North Bay Village, shared the footage on social media, showing the bird dangling from a tree as volunteers coordinated their rescue plan. "We don't know how long the bird had been there. He was alive. You could see he was alive because he was trying to fly away and release himself," said Marianna Niero, the station's communications manager. Despite their efforts, the night heron did not survive. Niero said such rescues have become almost a daily occurrence at their center off the 79th Street Causeway. Human impact behind most injuries So far in 2025, the station has rescued 1,047 animals. According to the organization, 90 percent of those injuries are caused by human activity-most of them fishing-related. "I can tell you that 70 percent of our seabirds come in with some kind of injury or sickness that is due either to fishing line or a fishing hook. Or something related to fishing," Niero said. Pelicans, seagulls, and night herons are among the most frequent patients. In one case, a bird returned with an orange band on its leg, indicating it had been treated at the facility before. Plea for responsible fishing Niero emphasized the importance of simple actions that could prevent these injuries. "For people who go out and fish to just dispose properly of their fishing gear because it's super dangerous for wildlife," she said. She also noted that South Florida's ongoing development is making matters worse, with habitat loss forcing animals into closer contact with people and urban hazards. "With much of the habitat being dismantled for development, animals get caught in the crosshairs of everyday human life," she said.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Skomer Island puffin numbers hit record high despite global fall
A record number of puffins have been recorded on a small island off the Pembrokeshire coast, despite global populations declining to the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW), 43,626 puffins were counted on Skomer Island this year - a record WTSWW said the increased number of puffins on the nature reserve was a "conservation success story", but warned that the birds were still a species under threat which should continue to be Island, a 2.92km² internationally important seabird island managed by the WTSWW, is located less than a mile from the Pembrokeshire coast. The island's isolation means that it is protected from predators such as rats, cats, dogs and foxes, and also from the human impact on the well as a growing population of puffins, Skomer is also home to 350,000 breeding pairs of manx shearwaters and thousands of guillemots and year, the WTSWW undertakes its annual seabird count on the island to monitor the population of birds that return every spring to puffins are counted during the evening and early in the season by six members of staff. Skomer Island's visitor officer, Rob Knott, said counting the birds was "quite a job"."We split the island into sections and we go round about two hours before sunset when there's the most on the land," he said."We get our clickers out and we count all the ones on the land, then the sea and the ones in the air as well."The last record was set in 2023, when 42,513 puffins were recorded on and around the island. "We think [the counting accuracy] is probably within a few hundred or perhaps a thousand birds," said Rob."Of course, that number is not going to be dead on the right number of puffins that are here, but because we do it in the same way every year and record those birds in the same way, it's always been reported as the final number of that count that we do every year." Although the puffins seem to be thriving in Pembrokeshire, there is a rapid decline many seabird species, puffins are listed as vulnerable to extinction on the global International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, as they face pollution, food shortages and climate to the WTSWW, the growth in Skomer Island's puffin population is "likely linked to the abundance of food in the wider area, meaning there is plenty of fish for chicks resulting in high breeding success".They said the absence of rats and other predators on the island had also contributed to the seabirds' success. 'Cautiously optimistic' Rob said the island's 25,000 visitors each year were often "mind-blown" by the number of warned, however, that there were novel threats facing seabirds - including bird flu and the recent marine heatwave conditions experienced around parts of the UK coastline."I think the monitoring work is absolutely vital, it informs how these seabirds are doing, particularly in this part of Wales but also on a wider scale in terms of how puffin numbers are doing throughout the UK," he said."It helps us look towards policy on how these numbers can increase in the future."They're doing well here, but we can point to this as a good example, there's other places where these numbers are really going down quite rapidly. "We're quite cautiously optimistic about the numbers that we're seeing."They're absolutely iconic birds and the fact that they're on the red list is wrong for so many reasons, not least, because they used to be absolutely thriving, so we're doing what we can to try and improve those numbers."
BBC News
24-05-2025
- BBC News
Calf of Man: A tiny, wild isle adrift in the Irish Sea
Inhabited over the centuries by hermits, monks, farmers and lighthouse keepers, the remote Calf of Man is both a time capsule and frontier of seabird regeneration efforts. Down at the harbour, it was time to go sailing. Port Saint Mary, near the Isle of Man's south-west tip, was half-empty; the only discernible morning activity on the jetty the seagulls perched on empty lobster pots with eyes fixed on the boats at anchor. Only one of these was showing any sign of movement, and with its engine ticking over and the stink of diesel in the air, the two-man crew onboard set their little motorboat on course across the open sea. Their destination? One of Britain's most isolated islands, hemmed in by precipitous cliffs and tempestuous waters. Found less than half a mile off the south-west coast of the Meayll Peninsula of the Isle of Man, the Calf of Man is that rarest of destinations in the British Isles: a thrilling place, but one that's often impossible to get to, no matter the season or how hard you try. Chiefly, it is a place lorded over by migratory birdlife, including the sooty black and white Manx shearwater, one of the longest-lived UK bird species. This historic island of two ruined lighthouses is also almost uninhabited, except for the two wildlife wardens and two intermittent volunteers who steward the bird observatory from March to November. Outside those months, the island lies empty. But the racing tidal currents of the Irish Sea and the swirling Calf Sound, which separates it from the British Crown Dependency, frequently make it a treacherous crossing. At times, in gales and rollercoaster tides, the island can be cut off for weeks, and just below the surface, the seabed is littered with shipwrecks. Among them are a 160-tonne brig from Liverpool, a cargo vessel from Glasgow and a French schooner – which means getting to the Calf of Man has all the hallmarks of a pilgrimage. At the boat's helm that morning was Steve Clague, a Manx sailor who has seen more than his fair share of bad weather. Like his father before him, who'd made the same boat trips to the Calf of Man for 40 years, he believes the island sets people dreaming because it often can be so hard to get to. "Last July we didn't set sail once," Clague told me, one of the 10 passengers on that day's 4.5-hour sightseeing round trip. Around us, the sea gleamed silver-blue in the morning sun, and scanning left and right, there was no sign of the dramatic cliff-hemmed seascape that would soon take over. "The Calf is a unique, beautiful place. Unspoilt and always transforming. The trick isn't to come once but to see it in all its different moods. It's a little time capsule." Also on board was Shaun Murphy of Manx National Heritage, which acts as custodian to the Isle of Man's treasure trove of museums and field sites as well as the Celtic crosses that have become symbols of the island. Murphy has been coming to the Calf of Man since his first visit as a schoolchild in 1970, and over the last few years, has visited every month. What motivates his return? "It's a rare good news story," he replied, watching gannets dive gracefully into the deep. "The guillemot communities are thriving and starting to spread out into the south coast of the island. The Manx shearwater, once preyed upon by invasive rats, has bounced back to around 1,500 pairs. A record number of seal pups were born last year. Efforts are being made to encourage puffins to nest. It's a lot to take in." Commitment and hard work underpin much of this, and as part of the puffin project, 100 resin decoys have been installed along the clifftops to encourage the species' long-term return. As we talked, our boat crossed the sound amid a frenzy of birdlife. Above us, fulmars caught the breeze, but I was equally focussed on the auks, razorbills and kittiwakes nesting on the intricately banded cliffs that thrust skywards. Soon after, two seals glided by, and, slowly, we chugged into the island's rudimentary quay, South Harbour. More than 1,000 years before we landed on the 616-acre island, Christian monks and hermits are said to have lived here, building an early Christian keeill, or Manx chapel. Fugitives are believed to have taken refuge on the island during Elizabethan times, and in the centuries since, tenant sheep farmers, lighthouse keepers and a series of owners have attempted to tame the island's wild side. One of these was Francis Jeffrey Dickens, son of English novelist Charles Dickens, who eventually gifted the island to the National Trust in 1939 to be preserved as a nature reserve. Ownership was then transferred to Manx National Heritage. More like this: • The British islands that disappear every day • The British island that's not in the UK • The secret British language that was used to outwit the Nazis The result is a jumble of histories: a ramshackle farm track leads past two early-19th Century chess piece lighthouses, where choughs nest in the broken-down towers. A smithy, silo and mill from an earlier era stand derelict, haunted by the ghosts of farmers. Old-style drystone walls, maintained by island volunteers, do little to contain the flocks of four-horned Manx Loaghtan rams and ewes that still graze there. But most people visiting the Calf of Man come for its sole farmhouse — the Bird Observatory – a half-hour walk from the quayside in a dell at the island's centre where insights into the unique wildlife are readily shared. When I arrived, the wardens were in the midst of painlessly ringing birds with ID bracelets as part of an ongoing census. Like the fishermen who battle the raging seas around them, their days are defined by which breeds slip into their nets each morning. By the time of my visit, nearly 50 species had already been tagged. "If it's a good birding day, we'll be up at first light, ringing different species until lunchtime, then doing counts in the afternoon," said ornithological warden Eleanor Grover, one of two full-time caretakers at the observatory. "It's a quick process, and today we've had a few firsts for the season: an osprey, a lesser whitethroat and a reed warbler." The work is hard. But the story is yet another positive one. Since the project began in 1959, more than 307,000 birds had been tagged up to the end of last year. And the data created helps monitor migratory routes, lifespan, changes in population and breeding success. Though the wardens are by nature birding advocates, the days are not without entanglements. "Goldfinches are really nice," Grover said, "but blue tits attack you. They're brave considering their size." For estate warden Kate Fox, the island gives her the rare opportunity to see the revival of the once-endangered Manx shearwater firsthand. Nowadays, the UK is home to around 90-95% of the species, and, as Fox puts it, the brown-tinged seabirds are clumsy and far from comfortable on land: "They're easy to catch, but there's a major drawback. To evade predation, they only come onshore at night." At that point of my visit, Fox looked at her watch, then at the nearby harbour, where my return boat was waiting, with engine idling. Out loud, I wondered: what happens when the boat is cancelled. She stared out to sea. Then with a small smile added: "There's a wonderful sense of isolation. It's magical." Looking back, I wondered if the appeal of this speck of land between sea and sky stemmed from something more profound. Maybe it was a metaphor for escape, almost into fiction. A parallel world to run away from, one too busy to care about mythical seabirds and wildly horned sheep, storybook lighthouses and fake puffins. A place of magic, right enough. -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
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. They have bellies so full of fragments, they crunch when touched. Lord Howe Island — a speck of land about 370 miles off mainland Australia, home to just a few hundred people — is the breeding ground for tens of thousands of sable shearwaters: dark brown-colored, long-winged ocean birds with strong hooked bills. Scientists from the ocean research group Adrift Lab have been visiting for nearly two decades to monitor these birds' exposure to plastic pollution. Every year they find more contamination, but this year was shocking, said Jennifer Lavers, a marine biologist and coordinator of Adrift Lab, who recently returned from the island. Shearwaters were found with levels of plastic far exceeding anything the scientists had seen before. They discovered an extraordinary 778 pieces of plastic inside one chick alone, smashing the previous record of 403 pieces. It 'left us all speechless,' Lavers said. The scientists are now trying to solve the mystery of why this year was so bad. Plastic pollution is on the rise but 'does that explain a doubling in 12 months? Absolutely not,' she told CNN. 'So there's something else going on.' Seabirds are often referred to as sentinels for ocean health, and the story they're telling is alarming. Global populations have declined 70% over the last 50 years as they grapple with multiple threats, including from invasive species, the fishing industry and climate change. Plastic pollution is yet another danger and a particularly 'insidious' one as its impacts are so hard to detect, said Richard Phillips, a seabird ecologist at the British Antarctic Survey. Lord Howe Island offers a unique natural laboratory for studying seabirds. The shearwaters reliably come back to the same breeding colony each year , usually within inches of the same burrow, allowing scientists to track individual birds' progress. 'There's nowhere else in the world that I can think of where we could do a study like this,' Lavers said. The scientists visit every April and May, when the chicks are leaving their burrows for the first time and preparing to take their first big migration to the Sea of Japan. Shearwaters are nocturnal, so every dawn, the scientists go to the beach to find chicks that were too weak and emaciated to make the flight. They bring them back to the lab to examine them. 'We often see high levels of plastic in these birds,' said Alix de Jersey, a researcher at the University of Tasmania. The scientists return to the beach at night to analyze the healthier birds getting ready to fly. They 'lavage' them using a feeding tube, gently pumping water into their stomachs to make them vomit up the plastic. The process may not be pleasant, de Jersey said, but 'it's just fantastic knowing that that bird is starting its migration without this huge load of plastic within its stomach.' Most of the plastic found in the birds this year was made up of unidentifiable fragments but they also found bottle caps, tile dividers and large amounts of plastic cutlery, de Jersey told CNN. The plastic accumulates inside the birds' bodies and can form a kind of brick. The pollution is so crammed into some shearwaters, it's audible. 'You can hear the crunching of the bottle caps and the shards and things shifting and moving against each other,' Lavers said. The scientists believe most plastic is ingested due to parents accidentally feeding it to their chicks, instead of the fish and squid that make up their usual diet. Plastic may smell good to birds because of the algae that can coat it, said Matthew Savoca, a marine ecologist at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation and Stanford University. 'Other times, birds may eat something that has already eaten plastic,' he told CNN. Shearwaters are particularly vulnerable because, while some birds will regularly throw up what they cannot digest, shearwaters 'only tend to regurgitate when feeding their chicks. The structure of their gut also means that plastic items are retained for a long time,' said Bethany Clark, senior seabird science officer at the conservation group BirdLife International. Scientists are still trying to unpick the health impacts; many are largely invisible. The Adrift Lab scientists take blood samples and dissect the dead birds. This year, as soon as they opened up the shearwaters, it was obvious there were 'systemic issues,' de Jersey said. She found scarring on the birds' kidneys and hearts. Plastic can block birds' intestines or cause starvation, but there are also 'sub-lethal' effects, Lavers said. 'They don't kill the animal instantly, but they do cause it to have a shorter life span (and) lots of pain and suffering.' Big pieces of plastic can dig into the birds' stomachs, causing excessive amounts of scar tissue. Microplastics might pass through the birds but leave a trail of toxic chemicals. The Adrift Lab team have even found eating plastic can cause 'dementia-like' brain damage in shearwater chicks. Over the last decade, the team has seen a very consistent decline in the birds' body mass, wing length and other measures. Lavers used to consistently find chicks too heavy for her 1 kilogram scales (2.2 pounds), but now the very heaviest top out at about 800 grams (1.8 pounds). What's happening to the birds on Lord Howe Island is 'truly troubling,' said Kimberly Warner, senior scientist at Oceana, an ocean conservation organization. Global plastic pollution is only getting worse, especially as cheap, single-use plastics — the vast majority made from planet-heating fossil fuels — continue to flood the market. An estimated 33 billion pounds of plastic waste enter the oceans each year, roughly equivalent to two garbage trucks-full dumped in every minute, according to Oceana. It takes centuries to break down. Horrifying images of dead albatrosses with clusters of colorful plastic spilling from their bodies, turtles eating plastic bags and whales entangled in plastic fishing nets are testament to how this pollution is affecting marine life. 'It's a crisis, and it's rapidly worsening,' said Lavers, who is still reeling from what they found on Lord Howe Island this year. 'I don't have words. I don't know how to explain what it is that I'm seeing.'
