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
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Getting to the bottom of the underwater waterfall
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Wind Cave National Park celebrates 120 years
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The borrowed days are here
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Gifford Pinchot National Forest
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Protecting wildlife today and tomorrow
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Celebrating 200 years of statehood
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It’s World Migratory Bird Day
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The meeting point of the winds
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A splash by the sea
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Daylight saving time begins
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Pretty in pink, and purple, and red…
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World Turtle Day
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Cranborne Chase, England
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The Pearl of Siberia
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Navajo Bridge in Marble Canyon
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Groundhog Day
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A march toward a dream
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Santo Antão Island in the Republic of Cabo Verde
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The birth of Bauhaus
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Bonifacio on the island of Corsica, France
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National Mountain Climbing Day
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Eurasian lynx
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Fossil Day
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Happy World Photography Day!
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National Park Week: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
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Happy Fathers Day!
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Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships
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Celebrating Chile’s Independence Day
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Great horned owl near Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida
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Dog days of summer