Lexi Webster
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue that has devastating consequences for wildlife. Plastic bags, in particular, pose a significant threat to animals, both on land and in the ocean. In Australia, the problem of plastic pollution is especially pertinent, with an estimated 130,000 tonnes of plastic leaking into the country's oceans each year, wreaking havoc on marine life. While the exact number of animal deaths attributed to plastic bags in Australia is challenging to pinpoint, it is evident that plastic pollution, including plastic bags, contributes to the indiscriminate killing and maiming of countless creatures, from marine mammals and birds to land animals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of animals that die from plastic bags in Australia | Unknown, but plastic kills 100,000 marine mammals globally each year |
| Number of plastic bags produced and consumed worldwide per year | 500 billion or more |
| Number of animals killed by plastic bags worldwide per year | 100,000 or more mammals and birds |
| Number of fish killed by plastic bags worldwide per year | Unknown, but likely in the millions |
| Types of animals killed by plastic bags | Marine mammals, birds, fish, crabs, coral, krill, dolphins, sea turtles, seals, humpback dolphins, whales, sharks, sea lions, deer, camels, elephants, flamingos, platypuses, pelicans, crocodiles, calves |
| How plastic bags kill animals | Entanglement, ingestion of microplastics, choking on plastic, poisoning from ingested plastic, infections from cuts caused by plastic |
| Time taken for plastic bags to break down | 20 years to centuries or thousands of years |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic bags look like prey to marine animals
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue that is wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems and the animals that inhabit them. Marine animals are dying from ingesting plastic or getting entangled in it. In 2018, a juvenile sperm whale was found dead on a Spanish beach with 30 kilograms of plastic in its digestive tract. This caused an inflammation that led to the whale's demise. Sadly, this isn't an isolated incident.
Plastic bags, in particular, pose a significant threat to marine life. They can take around 20 years to break down, and even then, they do not fully disappear. When plastic bags end up in the ocean, they can resemble prey to marine animals, leading to fatal consequences. Seals and marine mammals that hunt squid or similar prey may mistake a plastic bag ballooned with water for their actual meal. This confusion can be deadly, as seen in the case of a pregnant pygmy sperm whale that stranded near Melbourne. The whale had ingested plastic and had to be euthanised.
Even marine animals that don't rely primarily on eyesight to find prey are at risk. Toothed whales and many dolphin species use echolocation, a sophisticated sonar-like technique, to navigate and hunt. Scientists believe that unnatural objects like plastic waste can confuse this system, leading these animals to mistakenly interpret plastic as food. This misinterpretation can have fatal outcomes, as their multi-million-year-old sonar system hasn't adapted to differentiate plastic from prey.
The impact of plastic pollution extends beyond the initial ingestion or entanglement. When marine animals ingest plastic, they also consume the toxic chemicals present in the plastic. These toxins can build up in their fatty tissues and lead to health issues such as reduced fertility, cancers, or metabolic disorders. Additionally, plastic pollution doesn't just affect individual animals; it can also disrupt entire ecosystems. For example, plastic has been shown to encourage the growth of pathogens in the ocean, increasing the likelihood of disease in corals.
The problem of plastic pollution is not limited to any specific region or country. In Australia, for instance, 130,000 tonnes of plastic leak into the oceans annually, endangering marine mammals, birds, and other creatures. Rare species like the humpback dolphin, unique to the waters around Australia and New Guinea, have been observed with marine debris tightly wrapped around their bodies, leading to life-threatening infections.
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Plastic takes a long time to break down
Plastic is designed to last for a long time—decades, if not hundreds of years. While it is incredibly useful, it is also problematic in terms of the waste it creates. Plastic pollution is wreaking havoc underwater, killing or crippling marine animals.
Plastic waste can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose, depending on the material and structure. Even then, it never fully disappears; it just gets smaller and smaller. For example, plastic straws can take up to 200 years to decompose, while plastic coffee pods and toothbrushes can take more than 500 years. Single-use plastic grocery bags take about two decades to break down, but they can be extremely harmful to wildlife, including ocean life. They can break up into smaller and smaller pieces, having devastating impacts on wildlife.
The durability of plastic is due to its chemical composition. The carbon bonds in plastic are not the same as the chemical bonds found in nature, making it harder and more energy-intensive to break them down. As plastic degrades, it can leak toxins into the soil around it, causing further issues.
The impact of plastic on marine life is significant. Marine animals that rely on eyesight may mistake plastic for prey, and even species that use echolocation to find their prey, such as whales and dolphins, can be confused by plastic waste. Plastic pollution has been found to kill around 100,000 marine mammals every year, with many more likely going unnoticed at the bottom of the ocean. In addition, plastic can entangle marine animals, cutting into their skin and leaving them vulnerable to deadly infections.
Australia contributes to this global issue, with up to 130,000 tonnes of plastic ending up in the ocean as pollution each year. This plastic pollution has been observed impacting rare species such as the humpback dolphin, which is only found in waters around Australia and New Guinea.
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Animals die from ingestion of plastic
Plastic ingestion is a major cause of death for many animals, including marine mammals, birds, and sea turtles. The problem is particularly acute in Australia, where 130,000 tonnes of plastic leak into the oceans each year, killing marine mammals, birds, and other creatures.
Marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, and seals, are highly susceptible to ingesting plastic. Whales, for example, consume plastic as it infiltrates the primary food source of zooplankton. Dolphins and whales use echolocation to find their prey, but plastic waste can confuse this system and be incorrectly interpreted as food. Seals may mistake plastic bags for prey, such as squid. A pregnant pygmy sperm whale was found stranded on a beach near Melbourne, with an autopsy revealing a stomach clogged with ingested plastic. In another instance, a juvenile sperm whale was found dead on a beach in Spain, with 30 kilograms of plastic in its digestive tract.
Birds are also heavily impacted by plastic ingestion. Seabirds, such as albatrosses, petrels, and shearwaters, are among the most affected, with plastic getting stuck in their gizzards and intestinal tracts. Northern fulmars, which feed by gliding with open beaks above the water surface, frequently harbour plastic in their stomachs. Penguins experience problems with plastic ingestion, and this issue continues up the food chain, affecting predators such as orca whales.
Sea turtles commonly mistake plastic sheeting and plastic bags for jellyfish, their natural prey. This plastic gets stuck in their digestive systems, leading to intestinal blockage, starvation, and death. All seven species of sea turtles have been confirmed to ingest plastic, and it is estimated that half of the sea turtles worldwide have ingested plastic.
Other animals affected by plastic ingestion include fish, which can mistake plastic for fish eggs, and lugworms, which cannot discern plastic from edible matter. Plastic can carry harmful pollutants and release chemicals, which can enter the bodies of animals when ingested. These toxins can cause inflammation and internal injuries, leading to suffering and death.
The impact of plastic ingestion on animal life is devastating, and it is crucial to address this issue through education, regulation, and the promotion of plastic alternatives to reduce our environmental footprint.
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Animals die from entanglement in plastic
Plastic pollution is a significant issue in Australia, with around 130,000 tonnes of plastic entering the country's oceans each year, wreaking havoc on the local wildlife. Marine animals, such as dolphins, sea turtles, seals, whales, and sea lions, are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of plastic pollution, including entanglement.
Plastic bags, fishing nets, and other plastic debris can entangle marine animals, restricting their movement, causing deep cuts that can lead to deadly infections, and making them more vulnerable to predators. The problem of entanglement is not limited to the ocean; land animals and birds also fall victim to plastic entanglement, with one source citing 170 kinds of land animals and birds injured by plastics on British beaches.
In Australia, a pregnant pygmy sperm whale stranded near Melbourne was found to have ingested plastic, which may have been misinterpreted as food due to its sophisticated sonar system. While this whale's cause of death was not entanglement, it highlights how plastic waste can confuse marine animals, leading to fatal consequences.
The humpback dolphin, a rare species found only in the waters around Australia and New Guinea, has been observed with marine debris wrapped tightly around its body. This entanglement can hinder the dolphin's movement, feeding, and breathing abilities, ultimately leading to its demise if not freed.
While the exact number of animal deaths caused by plastic entanglement in Australia is unknown, it is estimated that globally, 100,000 marine animals die from entanglement in plastic each year. This number likely underrepresents the true impact, as not all animals are found or recorded. Furthermore, plastic bags can take centuries to break down, potentially entangling multiple animals over their lifetime.
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Plastic bags are a danger to land animals too
Plastic bags are a significant danger to land animals. They are often ingested by animals, leading to health issues and even death. The issue is prevalent in various countries, with reports of deer in Japan and the UK, camels in Arabia, and elephants in India and Africa dying from ingesting plastic bags. In Australia, a tagged 10-foot-long crocodile named Whitey died after consuming 25 plastic shopping and garbage bags.
The long-term impact of plastic bags on the environment exacerbates the danger they pose to land animals. Plastic bags can take anywhere from 20 years to centuries to break down, depending on the type of plastic and the environment. During this time, they can be ingested by multiple animals, causing harm or death. The chemicals in plastic can also leach into the surrounding environment, impacting the health of wildlife and the ecosystem.
Land animals can also suffer injuries and infections from becoming entangled in plastic bags. For example, a platypus was reported to have suffered deep cuts from a plastic bag wrapped around its body. Even if the plastic is removed, the wounds can become infected and attract predators.
The impact of plastic bags on land animals is not limited to direct harm through ingestion or entanglement. Plastic pollution in landfills and the environment can lead to pollution, toxicity, and methane production, affecting the health and habitat of land animals. Additionally, the production and consumption of plastic bags contribute to a larger environmental footprint, exacerbating the negative impact on wildlife.
While the exact number of land animal deaths caused by plastic bags in Australia may be unknown, it is evident that plastic bags pose a significant danger to their survival and well-being. The issue has prompted countries worldwide, including Australia, to implement measures such as bans, taxes, and recycling programs to reduce plastic bag consumption and promote environmentally friendly alternatives. These efforts are crucial in mitigating the dangers posed by plastic bags to land animals and protecting their habitats.
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Frequently asked questions
It is difficult to know the exact number of animals killed by plastic pollution in Australia. However, it has been estimated that 100,000 mammals and birds die from plastic bags each year worldwide. In Australia, a 10-foot-long crocodile died from consuming 25 plastic shopping and garbage bags.
Plastic bags can kill animals through ingestion or entanglement. Marine animals that become trapped in plastic bags cannot find food or shelter, and they can drown if they are unable to swim up to the surface for air. Even if the plastic is removed, deep cuts from the plastic can become infected or attract predators.
Many different types of animals are affected by plastic bags, including marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, seals, and sea turtles, as well as land animals such as deer, camels, and elephants. In Australia, a pregnant pygmy sperm whale died after ingesting plastic, and a humpback dolphin was observed with marine debris wrapped tightly around its body.
