By David Shukman
BBC environment correspondent, Midway
On the coral atoll of Midway in the central Pacific - famous for America's first victory over the Japanese fleet in World War Two - wildlife experts are facing a new battle against a rising tide of plastic waste.
The Midway Islands are home to some of the world's most valuable and endangered species and they all are at risk from choking, starving or drowning in the plastic drifting in the ocean.
Nearly two million Laysan albatrosses live here and researchers have come to the staggering conclusion that every single one contains some quantity of plastic.
About one-third of all albatross chicks die on Midway, many as the result of being mistakenly fed plastic by their parents.
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He explained how some chicks never develop the strength to fly off the islands to search for food because their stomachs are filled with plastic.
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more:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7314240.stmFollow-up to an earlier post, without the 'diary' format:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=140285&mesg_id=140285