Justin Gilligan's Image

Justin Gilligan (Australia) creates a mosaic from the 403 pieces of plastic found inside the digestive tract of a dead flesh-footed shearwater.

Adrift Lab brings together biologists from around the world to study the impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems.

Justin has been documenting their work for several years, often joining them on beach walks at dawn to collect dead chicks.

For Photographer, Cinematographer and Competition Judge Luciano Candisani, “photography is one of the most important tools for the most important message of all time – humanity needs to find a new way of relating to the planet. In this photograph, with creativity and a sense of composition, the photographer managed to achieve this universal theme. The image is touching and powerfully questions us about ourselves.”

Studies found that three-quarters of adult flesh-footed shearwaters breeding on Lord Howe Island contained plastic.

For fledglings, in some years the figure was 100%.

The chicks start building up plastic in their stomachs while they are being fed by their parents within the nesting burrows. The birds mistake it for prey or pumice stone which aids digestion.

The more plastic a bird contains, the worse its body condition. Plastic is indigestible and takes up space that could be filled with something more nutritious. Chicks are now fledging at lower body weights than they were in 2010.

The team, including a Natural History Museum scientist, also discovered it causes scarring to the lining of the digestive tract, a condition called plasticosis.

How you can help

• Limit single-use plastic. The best way to reduce plastic pollution is to limit the use of plastic, especially single-use items like plastic water bottles, takeaway coffee lids and plastic shopping bags. Get into the habit of carrying reusable alternatives with you and encourage local businesses to stop selling single-use plastics.
• Recycle any plastic you do use. If you’re using plastic items when out and about, think about taking your rubbish home with you. Overfilled rubbish bins can cause ‘accidental littering’, where discarded plastics are blown away and enter the environment. Find out more about the effects of plastic pollution and what you can do to help.
• Report tangled birds. If you see any birds tangled in plastic or other rubbish, take a photo and report it to help scientists understand the scale of the problem and where to focus their efforts. Find out how to report birds tangled in plastic.