Earth Day brings us to Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, where this fuzzy Laysan albatross chick is taking in its surroundings. The chick’s home, unfortunately, has a plastic problem. Midway Atoll is part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, not far from the giant gyre of marine debris known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It’s been estimated that some 100 pounds of plastic wash up on Midway Atoll each week, and most of the albatross population has ingested it (they confuse the brightly colored pieces with marine life). For chicks, eating the plastic often proves fatal. But one resilient Laysan albatross named Wisdom has become a symbol of hope. At 68 years old, Wisdom is the oldest known wild bird in the world–and as of 2018 she was still laying eggs. Sounds like a perfect Earth Day mascot.
Meet our fuzzy Earth Day mascot
Today in History
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World Rhinoceros Day
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Spring equinox
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International Tiger Day
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It s World Poetry Day
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On the hunt
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A medieval celebration in the Mediterranean
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Mute swan
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Dressed for winter fun
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Cuban tody, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Cuba
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A wetland in Västmanland, Sweden
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Camels in the desert, United Arab Emirates
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Red Planet Day
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Summer winds down in the Hamptons
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American goldfinch
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Grand finish of Le Tour
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Sea Otter Awareness Week
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Travel Sunday: Sintra, Portugal
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Hollywood s big night
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Mesmerizing murmuration
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International Sloth Day
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Vieste, Apulia, Italy
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Tall, taller, tallest
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World Space Week
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The stylish Spanish shawl
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day
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Keep your hands inside the ride at all times…
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It s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
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International Surfing Day