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It is hard to go anywhere nowadays without seeing trash or litter along the sidewalks, in the street and even on our beaches and needless to say, it is not good. As humans, one of our responsibilities is to keep this earth clean for the greater good of everything that inhabits it. Everything humans do has an effect on the environment around us and we need to keep in mind that regardless of whether it is something as small as a plastic drinking straw or something as noticeable as a plastic bag blowing in the wind, all this trash winds up somewhere and in this case, it is affecting marine life in extremely negative ways.
#1. Sea Turtles
Sea Turtles are naturally born travelers and they cannot fuel their expeditions on a diet of plastic bags and bottle caps. Like many other sea creatures, these animals easily mistake trash for food and it is killing them at an alarming rate. Out of the 7 known species of sea turtles, 6 are critically endangered. Studies are showing that as many as 50% of sea turtles are ingesting plastic and are dying because of it.
#2 Seals and Sea Otters
Although Seals and Sea Otters tend to find themselves wrapped up in nets, lines or lures, plastic is still one of their most notorious killers. These animals get their energy from preying on other living things but unbeknownst to them, a plastic bag floating in the water would look just as appetizing. In a study conducted in Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, scientists noted a whopping 388 Sea Lions that were entangled in plastic debris.
#3 Sea Birds
Most people may see these animals as giant rats with wings but regardless of your feelings towards these creatures, their lives shouldn’t be cut short due to the inability of humans to dispose of trash properly. Due to many of these birds being water dwelling hunters they run the risk of picking up trash with every dive. Like the other animals that are ingesting trash, it can block or puncture internal organs causing a slow and painful death.
#4 Fish
Outlining a broader spectrum of marine life, fish are categorized as any marine mammal that brings in water through its gills. Although some fish aren’t consumed as much by humans, the ones that are run the risk ingesting microscopic debris which would be harmful to both parties but nevertheless, any fish that ingests trash is not good.
#5 Whales and Dolphins
Animals don’t have the ability to differentiate trash and food but humans certainly do. Larger marine animals like Whales and Dolphins don’t even realize how much plastic debris they take in, especially whales when they feed. In a staggering find in 2008 on the California coast, two whales were reported to have over 450 pounds of trash and other debris in their guts.
Oceanic pollution is a huge problem and the only way to combat it is to bring awareness and action. Clean up after yourself and others if need be; take some responsibility and make the world we live in as clean as possible by properly disposing of trash and other harmful products. The future of the earth depends on how we treat it now, so take action!