how many marine animals die from plastic every minute

How many marine animals die from plastic every minute? Plastic waste is a prominent concern today as pollution poses a serious risk to the balance of the ecological system. According to reports shared by the United Nations, over 100,000 sea animals are lost every year including dolphins, seals, and sea turtles, and this number only keeps rising. If these statistics are further analyzed on a per-minute basis, the number worsens with 15 marine animals passing away each minute due to plastic entanglement.

Introduction to how many marine animals die from plastic every minute

The shocking statistics indicate the far-reaching side effects plastic waste has on marine life, which has a dire impact on oxygen production through photosynthesis. It equally highlights the alarming challenge we collectively need to heed. Marine life like whales, sea turtles, and a variety of birds have been considered the worst sufferers of pollution. Though these figures are startling, they don’t come off as a surprise given the current crisis we are all facing and that is the pollution of plastic which is a primary global issue.

The Global Problem in Figures

The usage of plastics is high in today’s world, and on average the equivalent of 8 million metric tons worth of plastic waste is tossed into the oceans every year. This means a trash truck is being emptied every minute. While trash is floating in the oceans, they break down into microplastics which are defined as shards smaller than five millimeters and can harm all forms of life on the planet. Many sea creatures tend to swallow these components while trying to eat, resulting in severe injuries and poisoning.

Plastic pollution harms oceanic animals in two main ways – ingestion and entanglement. Consuming plastics can lead to the digestive system getting blocked, intensive internal bleeding, and at times severe starvation, all of which result in death. On the other hand, entanglement, which is a more lethal form of harm, makes an oceanic creature more prone to choking, severe injuries or even getting rendered motionless which results in the inability to eat or swim making it a perilous option.

Eating Plastic: The Wonderous Lie

Sadly, ingesting is one of the leading methods of coping with the menace called plastic pollution for marine animals. Turtles, love capturing plastic bags or wrappers since they mistake them for jellyfish, their favorite meal. Most of the time results in the blockage of their digestive tracts, leading to starvation. Recent studies have shown that concerningly, 50% of sea turtles on the planet have bits of plastic inside them.

The same applies to seabirds and fish. Many kinds of fish consume microplastics believing it to be plankton, their main diet. Such plastic may cause internal damage and toxic symptoms. Some seabirds like albatrosses will eat plastic debris floating on top of the water. Studies show that over 90 birds carry some form of plastic in their bodies, which for sure leads to malnutrition, dehydration, and advanced mortality.

The Danger of Losing Freedom

Marine animals encounter danger due to the lure of plastic waste – ropes, abandoned fishing nets, or even the rings of six packs. These nets are often referred to as ghost fishing gear for a reason. Discarded nets become the grenades for marine life and these nets help in trapping and hunting them down. In July dolphins and whales get entangled with these plastic leftovers which leads them to suffocation, drowning, or bites which result in severe injuries.

Being ensnared in something can have dire consequences for many marine animals. Sea lions and seals, for instance, can get caught in fishing nets or rings made of plastic which only get tighter. This eventually leads to deep wounds inflicted by the fishing equipment that can turn into dangerous infections over time. When these marine animals are already stuck in the unwanted netting, getting ensnared will make the situation worse in terms of injuries and the chances of death.

How Various Marine Animals Are Impacted By Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution has its unique impact on various marine species as listed below.

Sea Turtles:

Adult turtles tend to mistake plastic bags for jellyfish because of shifts in their diet. This combined with overheating on nesting beaches makes hatchlings vulnerable to becoming tangled in plastic waste which impacts their ability to reach the ocean.

Whales:

One of the world’s largest mammals often consumes large amounts of plastic unknowingly. A case that highlights this is when a whale was found off the coastline of the Philippines in 2019 with over 40 kilograms worth of plastic in its stomach. The outcome goes to show the dire impacts of consuming plastic waste.

Seabirds:

Various marine bird species such as puffins and albatrosses regularly consume fragments of plastic under the impression that they are egging fish or other sources of nutrition. This eventually leads to a reduction of their stomach size which severely hinders their ability to consume nutritious food while at the same time t thehe plastic accumulates in their stomach.

Fish and Shell Fish:

Microplastics have been discovered in many species of fish and other shellfish. Such infections are a threat to marine wildlife and endanger human life because these species are part of the food chain.

Coral Reefs:

The concern of plastic pollution does not concern only fauna. Even places of the ocean devoid of animals and inhabited by coral reefs are adversely affected. For instance, plastics can shade the corals so that sunlight does not reach them and instead, bacteria replace the light. This causes a phenomenon called coral bleaching and in the end, death of the corals.

The Ripple Effects That Ecosystems Sustain

The adoption of plastic resulted in deep-rooted consequences such as the devastation of underwater ecosystems which in turn is fatal for marine creatures. Every living organism has a role to play whether being rubble or useful, in today’s world every start and every action has a noticeable impact. The same goes for fish-eating microplastics, the above food chain will suffer when fish’s predators are impacted. All marine organisms, above the food chain, are going to be negatively impacted when plastic pollution leads to the ruin of coral reefs which serve as food and boujee to a lot of species.

Also, there are more dangers to humans as microplastics are discovered in sea animals. Regardless, the initial consumption of microplastic-containing seafood is harmless for now, but eventually, it leads to dire irreversible damage like hormonal imbalance and inflammation due to excess consumption.

Solutions To The Problem

To solve the problem of pollution caused by marine life due to plastic, a multi-step plan needs to be enforced. Avoiding, or limiting the usage of plastics is the responsibility of the government, industries, and the common folk.

Government Policies: Banning single-use plastics, rewarding recycling, or even penalizing littering will significantly improve pollution levels. The first step to eliminating plastic waste is enforcing regulations that control the production and disposal of plastic goods.

Corporate Social Responsibility: Businesses can support tackling the issue of plastic waste by embracing new sustainable packaging techniques, and practices that foster a circular economy. Equally, the issues of removing lost fishing gear and non-degradable materials must be addressed.

Public Education: Fostering awareness of the effects of plastics on the marine ecosystem can lead to positive behavioral changes. Simple changes like using reusable bags, straws, and bottles can contribute towards the positive net effect.

Restoration of the Oceans: Individuals and groups can participate in initiatives targeted at solving the problem of plastic waste, for instance, beach clean-up campaigns, The Ocean Cleanup system, and many more are tackling these challenges on a larger scale.

Endorsement of cruelty-free practices: Organizations dedicated to the protection of marine life can research and initiate programs that target plastic pollution in the ocean. With help, these organizations can greatly benefit marine life.

Conclusion

In conclusion, plastic waste in oceans is a major issue and as per estimates, around 15 marine animals die every minute due to it which is a large number. Ultimately, we are all suffering from an ecosystem crisis. The sea alone has a variety of ecosystems that help sustain both sea life and us. A moral responsibility exists in all of us to reduce plastic waste and the environmental changes that follow from it.