While visiting the Children’s Pool in La Jolla on Tuesday, acclaimed conservation photographer Jennifer Warner captured a majestic moment between two seagulls. Whether they were frolicking around on the seashore or chasing each other mid-flight, Warner photographed the juvenile western gulls playing with a plastic dildo.
Yes, you read that right. Not a french fry, a plastic penis.
Photo: JENNIFER LEIGH WARNER / CATERS NEWS
“Before realizing what the object was, I was annoyed and mad, because plastic pollution is a real serious problem, and as a conservation photographer I’m documenting human impacts on wildlife,” Warner told Gizmodo. “But when I realized what it was, while the other emotions still existed, you can’t help but find humor in it.”
Seriously, imagine her surprise.
Photo: JENNIFER LEIGH WARNER / CATERS NEWS
Now, don’t get us wrong, seeing a couple of seagulls playing tug-o-war with a dildo is absolute gold, but, it does raise concerns about plastics at the beach.
After plastics enter the marine environment they slowly photodegrade into smaller pieces that marine life can mistake for food, sometimes with fatal results. In this case, one of the seagulls could have choked on the plastic “selfie stick.” Thankfully, that did not happen.
Photo: JENNIFER LEIGH WARNER / CATERS NEWS
If YEW would like to learn more about the negative impacts of plastics at the beach, please check out Surfrider’s Rise Above Plastics campaign. Advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.
Some things should not be recycled.
Now I’ve seen it all!!!!!
bahahahaha