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Some suggest that the animals thought the items were food, such as squid, which is their main staple. Others, however, believe that the travesty is largely a result of humanity’s shocking disregard for marine life, which has resulted in an overabundance of plastic in the oceans. Said Robert Habeck, environment minister for the state of Schleswig-Holstein:
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bits that could cause a more chronic problem for all species of cetacean – not just those who suction feed.
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Twenty-nine sperm whales were found stranded on shores around the North Sea, an area that is too shallow for the marine wildlife.
Only recently were details of the animals’ necropsy released.
However, scientists were deeply disturbed by what they found in the
animals’ stomachs.
According to a press release from Wadden Sea National Park in
Schleswig-Holstein, many of the whales had stomachs FULL of plastic
debris, including a 13-meter-long fishing net, a 70 cm piece of plastic
from a car and other pieces of plastic litter.
Some suggest that the animals thought the items were food, such as squid, which is their main staple. Others, however, believe that the travesty is largely a result of humanity’s shocking disregard for marine life, which has resulted in an overabundance of plastic in the oceans. Said Robert Habeck, environment minister for the state of Schleswig-Holstein:
These findings show us the results of our plastic-oriented society. Animals inadvertently consume plastic and plastic waste, which causes them to suffer, and at worst, causes them to starve with full stomachs.
Nicola Hodgkins of Whale and Dolphin Conservation echoed that statement. She stated:
Although the large pieces will cause
obvious problems and block the gut, we shouldn’t dismiss the smaller it
bits that could cause a more chronic problem for all species of cetacean – not just those who suction feed.
This isn’t the first time a sperm whale has been found dead with
innards full of inedible contents. In 2011, a young whale was found
floating dead off the Greek island of Mykonos. Its stomach was so
distended, biologists thought the animal swallowed a giant squid.
However, when its four stomachs were dissected, nearly 100 plastic bags
and other pieces of debris were found.
It should be noted that the plastic is not what killed the young
male sperm whales. According to National Geographic, they died of heart
failure. This was a result of mistakenly swimming into the North Sea,
likely in search of squid, and then not being able to support their own
body weights in the shallow water. As a result, their internal organs
collapsed.
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