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Ocean's Deadly Plastic Feast: 1,300 Species Affected
28 Nov
Summary
- Nearly 1,300 marine species ingest plastic, causing fatal blockages.
- Study analyzed 10,000 necropsies on seabirds, mammals, and turtles.
- Specific plastics like rubber and fishing gear prove most deadly.
A comprehensive study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has quantified the deadly impact of plastic ingestion on marine life. Nearly 1,300 species, encompassing every family of seabirds and marine mammals, are known to consume plastic, rubber, and fishing debris, often with fatal consequences from gastrointestinal blockages or perforations.
The research, which analyzed over 10,000 necropsies, found that a significant percentage of sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals had ingested plastic. Specifically, 47% of sea turtles, 35% of seabirds, and 12% of marine mammals showed evidence of plastic consumption, with varying mortality rates directly linked to this ingestion.
This critical research underscores the pervasive threat of plastic pollution to marine ecosystems. The findings support the implementation of policies aimed at reducing plastic waste and targeting the most hazardous types of plastics, with the hope of setting science-based targets to mitigate these harms.
