Protecting Argentina’s Imperiled Penguins From Plastic Waste
May. 22, 2020 11:59AM EST
Plastic waste from the nearby city of Ushuaia is polluting nests and being found in penguins’ stomachs and excrement. Deutsche Welle
Tierra del Fuego is at the southernmost tip of South America and is sometimes known as the “end of the world.” This windswept part of Argentina is home to seven penguin colonies which breed, nest and feed in the area.
Yet even here, the evidence of human encroachment on nature is clear.
Plastic waste from the nearby city of Ushuaia is polluting nests and being found in penguins’ stomachs and excrement. And warmer waters mean adults must search longer for food, leaving their little ones more exposed to predators. Increasing tourism is also threatening the ecosystem.
Biologist Andrea Raya Rey has been studying the region’s penguins for more than 20 years. She and others from the Austral Center for Scientific Research (CADIC) are working to protect the beloved flightless birds.
A film by Aitor Saez
Reposted with permission from Deutsche Welle.