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The researchers found that more than 50% of the dead turtles found on the shores of Queensland had plastic in their stomachs. For young turtles, a single piece of plastic could increase their chances of dying. This could have a long-term impact on the population of turtles that have a life span of 80 years and can reproduce for several decades.
A piece of plastic, 20% chance of dying
The death of turtles on the Australian coast has raised concerns about how this affects the species and the marine population in general. Pollution has had a significant effect on the ocean, but recent studies suggest that once a turtle has eaten a piece of plastic, it has a 20% chance of dying. Most of these turtle deaths affect children, compared to adult or juvenile turtles that could have 17 pieces of plastic before dying. Young turtles are mainly affected by plastic because they swim near the surface, where plastic is the most common. These statistics were published by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Hobart, Australia.
Another study by Nature Scientific Reports, coupled with the Queensland Turtle Stranding database, states that 14 pieces of plastic eaten by an adult turtle (45 cm) increase one's chances of dying by 50%. For this study, researchers collected more than 1,000 turtles to determine the cause of death. Although they varied significantly, at least 250 turtles had plastic in their stomachs in varying amounts. The plastic perforates or blocks the entrails of these animals. Some of the most common plastics come from ropes, fishing lines, balloons, bags and bottles. Researcher Britta Denise Hardesty says some plastics might look like jellyfish, squid, crustaceans or sponges.
Further research to understand the effects of plastic
Some researchers, like Jennifer Lynch, believe that the study should also have taken into account the weight of the plastic rather than the parts. Although many turtles die of plastic, others manage to digest it and expel it from their bodies. What these researchers can not deny is that as more studies show the effects of plastic on turtles, more people will be aware of this problem in their own country.
Other countries, such as Brazil and Uruguay, have also expressed concerns about the effects of pollution on turtles. By determining the amount of plastic they consume, researchers can explain the impact of their impact on our environment and take measures to protect turtles.
More than 10 million tons of plastic are released each year into the ocean. With species such as turtles that have experienced a significant decline in recent decades, these numbers draw attention to the effects of plastic waste and the measures to be taken by the authorities to prevent their extinction. Most of the plastic found in the ocean comes from the earth. Taking steps to clean the shoreline could therefore have a considerable effect.
Source: Scientific Reports
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