How Are Ocean Animals Impacted by Plastics?

[UngulateNerd92]

The ocean is a vast and beautiful home to so many incredible animals. However, a growing number of creatures are finding their ocean homes polluted by trash. Every year, 11 million metric tons of plastics enter our ocean. To put that in perspective, 11 million metric tons is roughly the same weight as 55,000 blue whales, the largest animal in the ocean. Sadly, that number is larger than the actual population of blue whales currently swimming our Big Blue today. That is a devastating amount of plastic!

However, there is hope. Together, we can keep plastics out of our ocean and away from ocean wildlife. Every fall I get a boost of hope during the International Coastal Cleanup®. Over the years, 17 million volunteers have collected more than 350 million pounds of plastic and debris. This year you can join us to #SeatheChange by cleaning up your local beaches, streams, parks and neighborhoods.

Our trash can affect animals in the ocean hundreds of miles away and picking up that trash can help protect those same animals. Let’s meet some of the marine animals that are affected by ocean plastics and could #SeatheChange from your efforts at this year’s International Coastal Cleanup.

How Are Ocean Animals Impacted by Plastics? - Ocean Conservancy

 

[Greaterbilby]

As I am from a marine countries too plastics are of great concern and often referred as a threat for loggerhead turtles. The point is that turtles think that plastics are jellyfish, eat them and die.

 

[Greaterbilby]

Of great importance should also be liquid wastes especially for marine birds and sea otters because they make their plumage or fur to lose its waterproof condition