Ban balloons and remove a threat to our birdlife, turtles and other marine life

Maybe this is a beautiful and emotive
sight, but it can be lethal for our birds.

Releasing balloons en masse into the sky to mark funerals and other ceremonies is killing birds, say scientists who have called for the practice to be banned.

"Balloons are a huge threat, not only to birds, but turtles and other marine life," said Fiona Maxwell, campaigner with the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

"It certainly is time for us to come up with less polluting ways to celebrate."

Dr Jenn Lavers, a biologist at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, in Hobart, says she finds balloons "in about one in 20 of every seabirds I examine".

Read The Sydney Morning Herald story - “Ban balloons to save birds, say scientists.”