Plastic pollution in the 21st century is one of the challenges of today and that all of society must face, and the sooner the better. Beaches full of garbage, oceans with hectares full of floating plastic, polluted rivers, landfills full of garbage... But also dead animals. Many dead animals. In fact, the number of species that are affected by the problems of so much garbage is counted in the hundreds. As a result of the little care we take for our environment, especially the marine environment, and due to the overproduction of plastics, we are seriously endangering the subsistence of many species. There are many animals in danger from plastic than before.
We have selected the 6 animals in danger from plastic, the most affected by this problem:
Sea birds
From the common seagulls to the rarest pelicans, the food bowl of these birds has been filled with plastic. And more on the coasts. Many of these seabirds are found on coasts where there is normally a brutal human presence, and of course, beaches much more full of plastic than normal...
Salmon and blue tuna
It is not so much the plastic as the dirty water that makes these animals die easily. We must think that plastic waste is also thrown into rivers, which is incredibly toxic to water. If we add this to the massive fishing of human beings we can understand why they are in danger.
Seals and sea lions
They are seriously affected by the waste they ingest but above all by the damage it causes them physically. There are hundreds of images circulating online of seals and sea lions with injuries, damage or with body parts trapped in plastic.
Sea turtles
A clear example of animals damaged by plastics is sea turtles. These turtles, especially when they are small, become trapped in wrappers or pieces of plastic that, if it does not kill them, cause serious damage to their growth if they do not manage to free themselves from it.
Dolphins
Another group of animals affected by the obstruction of parts of their body with plastic. Although they do not usually ingest this type of materials, unlike turtles, the damage they cause is great.
Whales
They swallow the plastic. As simple as that. Its enormous mouth absorbs plastic without being able to be precise enough to distinguish between plankton or the garbage it ingests. Considered one of the animals in danger from everyone's plastic.
