The kekeno, or NZ fur seal, is a free-diving champion. She dives as deep as 238m, over the continental shelf, to nab her dinner. And she does it from sundown to sunrise — so when you next see her chilling in the sun, give her a break. 

Sadly, she's collateral damage for trawlers, long-line fishers and oil exploration. She’s also subjected to humans and dogs behaving badly, and harm from marine debris — especially rope. 

Plastic rope is all over our beaches. At 11,862 pieces found by Sustainable Coastlines so far, it's the sixth most common litter item. Ranked by weight, it’s third, sitting at 236.98kg!*

Please pick up rope when you see it. If there’s too much, tell your local council. For more ways to help solve the plastic pollution problem, visit sustainablecoastlines.org

*In Litter Intelligence coastal survey areas. Data correct as of 1 Oct, 2021 (insights.litterintelligence.org).

In the dense forests of Fiordland lives the Tawaki, or Fiordland Crested Penguin. She’s one of the world’s rarest penguins — and an epic swimmer. Some Tawaki were recently observed swimming halfway to Antarctica in a couple of weeks. The champion of the group went 7,000km!

We’re not sure what oceanic delicacies are worth swimming that far for, but we do know that as a seabird, her diet may also include plastic. By 2050, 99% of seabird species will be ingesting plastic, the worst of it in the Tasman Sea — our moana.

Sustainable Coastlines has found, on average, 245 pieces of plastic per 1,000m2 in beach litter survey sites.* And that’s just on land.

Help the Tawaki out. Aside from keeping your doggo and yourself well away, look at your plastic intake. Here, start with an easy one: get yourself a reusable coffee cup. And use it.

*Litter Intelligence data correct as of 22 Oct, 2021 (insights.litterintelligence.org). 

Head to sustainablecoastlines.org to find out more.

Imagine you’re a honu, a sea turtle. You’re cruising the ocean, looking for a feed. An amorphous, diaphanous object catches your eye. A jellyfish — awesome. You chow it down, but it’s tasteless, hard to swallow, and who knows what it’s going to do to you.

Five species of honu can be found in NZ’s cool waters. Sadly, they often mistake soft plastics for delicious jellyfish and algae. We know that this can kill them.

Soft plastics are great at escaping, even if you put them in the right bin. Sustainable Coastlines finds them on their litter surveys — an average of 57 pieces of soft plastics and packaging on a 100m x 10m stretch of coast.*

So help a honu out. Get some reusable produce bags, visit your local bulk store, and maybe let your fav brands know you’re keen to move away from plastic. Visit sustainablecoastlines.org for more info.

*As of 3 Nov, 2021 in Litter Intelligence coastal survey areas (insights.litterintelligence.org).

She’s found in waters from Kamchatka to the Americas, but the rako, or Buller’s Shearwater, is picky about where she calls home. That honour goes to NZ. She breeds only on two small pest-free islands in the Poor Knights archipelago — and understandably, she’s pretty protective of her spot.

Like other surface-feeders, the rako can mistake plastic for food. In the sea, plastic can take on bacteria that makes it smell like prey. Unfortunately, her digestive system disagrees.

According to Sustainable Coastlines coastal surveys, more than 20% of plastic found relates to food items, including wrappers, lids and containers. And 44% is already broken into seabird-enticing fragments.*

Reconsider your takeaways: BYO containers. Lots of eateries welcome this, and if it’s new to them, well, you’re paving the way. Visit sustainablecoastlines.org to find out more.

*In Litter Intelligence coastal survey areas. Data correct as of 1 Oct, 2021 (insights.litterintelligence.org).

The Toroa, or southern royal albatross, is a bit of an overachiever. She and the wandering albatross jostle for the position of world’s largest seabird, she’s long-lived, and she can circumnavigate the globe in just 46 days.

While she spends most of her life at sea, when she’s at home in Aotearoa’s Sub-Antarctic, she’s dedicated to her partner and chick.

Sadly, she’s also one of the most charismatic victims of plastic pollution. You’ve probably seen the news articles: young Toroa dies after swallowing a whole plastic bottle; parents regurgitate plastic fragments (and even a plastic pony) for their chicks.

Plastic accounts for 74% of litter on the beach in Sustainable Coastlines litter surveys, and bottle lids are some of the most common items found.* Switching to a reusable bottle is a great starting place to help the Toroa continue to be the overachiever she is. Visit sustainablecoastlines.org to find out more.

*As of 3 Nov, 2021 (insights.litterintelligence.org).

*In Litter Intelligence coastal survey areas. Data correct as of 1 Oct, 2021 (insights.litterintelligence.org).

Cruising Aotearoa's ocean at up to 74kmph and performing athletic surface-breaking leaps to catch his prey, the Ngutukao, or shortfin mako, is the fastest shark in the world. And as an apex predator, he helps to maintain a healthy ecosystem.

But the Ngutukao is in trouble. He’s a target for the commercial fisher, is often caught as bycatch, and is one of many shark species threatened by ‘ghost nets’, or discarded fishing gear.

On their litter surveys so far, Sustainable Coastlines citizen scientists have found 15,930 individual pieces of fishing-related items on coastlines around Aotearoa, weighing in at 556kg.*

If you fish, be careful with your gear. Pick up fishing lines you find, and use your power as a citizen and a consumer to keep the Ngutukao safe. Head to sustainablecoastlines.org to find out more.

*As of 3 Nov, 2021 (insights.litterintelligence.org).