High Incidence of Plastic Debris in Andean Condors from Remote Areas: Evidence for Marine-Terrestrial Trophic Transfer

Abstract

Plastic pollution is an alarming environmental problem affecting diverse species worldwide. Scavenging birds are currently exposed to plastic due to contamination of their food sources. Here, we evaluated the ingestion of plastic by a threatened top scavenger, the Andean condor ( Vultur gryphus ). We analyzed the biotic (organic items from the diet) and abiotic (synthetic material) composition of regurgitated pellets in two remote areas of Peru associated with protected areas: a marine-coastal region and an Andean region. Condors consume mainly Pinnipeds and South American camelids in the marine-coastal region, and camelids and livestock in the Andean region. We found a very high frequency of occurrence (85-100%) of microplastic debris in pellets of both areas studied. The occurrence of microplastics differed between sites; although very high in both areas, the rate of occurrence and density were higher in the marine-coastal region. We used published information and our own data to identify possible sources of this plastic pollution in condors. We confirmed that carcasses consumed by condors in both study areas were contaminated with plastic. Therefore, plastic in Andean condors is most probably acquired through the food web in both the marine and terrestrial environments. Andean condors from Peru are highly contaminated with plastic, which may affect their health, population dynamics, and conservation. Moreover, as condors are apex scavengers, our results highlight the fact that plastic pollution in remote areas of Peru is present at different levels of the food web and in the environment. Urgent Action should be taken to reduce environmental contamination with this hazardous material.

Keywords: Diet, Pellets, Plastic pollution, Peru, Scavenger, Threatened species