In January, 29 sperm whales were found stranded on shores around the
North Sea, they were found in an area that is too shallow for the marine wildlife. Only
recently were details of the animals’ necropsy released.
Scientists were deeply shocked and worried 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, the animals thought the items were food, such as
squid, which is their main staple.
However, there is other opinions that believe 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.
This isn’t the first time a sperm whale has been found dead with inedible contents.
In 2011, a young whale was found floating dead off the Greek island of
Mykonos. Its stomach was so distended, 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.
Regardless, the fact that many of their stomachs were full of pollution is a horrible indictment of humans. About 80% of the plastic which is thrown and discarded on land ends up in the oceans, where it is consumed by wildlife or swirls for years in great garbage patches. It is ironic and saddening for mankind to be destroying other species in such a disrespectful attitude.
source://www.mintpressnews.com
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