The new bird disease is caused entirely by plastic

Today, the presence of plastic is so pervasive on Earth that it is almost impossible for wildlife to avoid it. Birds, especially seabirds, are greatly affected by plastic debris.

Now researchers have discovered a new disease among seabirds caused by eating plastic. The disease, called plasticine in English, causes scarring in the digestive tract of birds, according to researchers at London’s Natural History Museum.

“Eating plastic has far-reaching and serious consequences that we are only beginning to document and understand,” the researchers say, according to the Guardian.

Because of plastic – not other natural materials

In the study they published, the team reports that they studied the stomach contents of 30 light-footed harp nesting around Australia.

The researchers concluded that the small pieces of plastic can cause persistent inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, eventually leading to scarring and disfigurement of the bird’s internal tissues. In the long term, it affects the animal’s digestion, growth, and survival.

However, the natural substances the researchers found inside the birds’ stomachs, such as pumice, shouldn’t cause the same problem. This means that researchers believe that this is a disease caused specifically by plastic.

– Although these birds may look healthy on the outside, they are not doing well on the inside, says Alex Bond, a researcher at the Natural History Museum in London, according to The Guardian.

This study is the first time that stomach tissue has been examined in this way. It shows that consuming plastic can cause serious damage to the digestive system of birds.

Even young birds have been diagnosed with the disease and it is believed to be caused by their parents accidentally feeding plastic.

The British researchers stated that they only studied one species of bird in one part of the world, but it is likely that more species are affected and that more research is needed to see how widespread the disease is.

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