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HUNDREDS OF MARINE turtles die every year when they become entangled in plastic rubbish, according to new research.
The rise in plastic refuse in the ocean and on beaches is killing turtles of all species, with a disproportionate impact on hatchlings and young turtles, research by the University of Exeter shows.
A world-wide survey covering the major oceans where turtles live discovered that 91% of the entangled turtles were found dead. They also suffered serious wounds from entanglement, leading to maiming, amputation or choking. Others that survived were forced to drag discarded rubbish or debris with them.
The survey found turtles are being tangled up in lost fishing nets, plastic twine and nylon fishing line, as well as six pack rings from canned drinks, plastic packaging straps, plastic balloon string, kite string, plastic packaging and discarded anchor line and seismic cable. Turtles were also discovered entangled in discarded plastic chairs, wooden crates, weather balloons and boat mooring line.
The research, published in Endangered Species Research, sheds light on the true threat of plastic pollution to marine turtles, which, other research has shown, also eat plastic rubbish, and marine creatures caught up in it.
Professor Brendan Godley. Professor of Conservation Science and Director of the Centre for Ecology & Conservation at the University of Exeter’s Penryn campus and the lead author warned that as plastic pollution increases more and more turtles are likely to become entangled.
The report concluded that, based on the survey results, that more than 1,000 turtles are likely to die due to entanglement. But the figure is likely to be a ‘gross underestimation’ of the scale of the threat to turtles. Not all dead turtles strand on beaches, especially young animals, and some decay at sea. Some of the experts surveyed said that not all stranded turtles are found and that some are removed by local people to eat.
All species of turtle were found entangled, but Olive Ridley turtles are the most likely species to get tangled up. The species nests in the hundreds of thousands. It forages in areas where marine debris can aggregate. It may also be attracted to feeding on marine rubbish, including discarded fishing tackle.
The report concludes: “Entanglement with anthropogenic plastic materials, such as discarded fishing gear, as well as land based sources, is an under reported and under researched threat to marine turtles.”
But it points out some communities are actively working to rescue turtles that get tangled up. Fishermen in Sicily volunteer to take part in the rescue of turtles in difficulty at sea and on beaches, and are trained to transfer them to rescue centres.
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governments need to implement legislation on the reduction of plastic. nearly every food item we buy is wrapped in plastic, there is no need for most of it. one example is coffee cup lids can be made of corn starch. there is so much that can be done yet our governments do nothing. Shame on them
@Leitrim303: yes it has gotten pretty ridiculous at this stage but the plastic bag levy at least was a success. We need more legislation like this.
@Leitrim303: I was given reusable cup with lid. Best gift.
They just won’t make plastic from hemp. It’s biodegradeable. Hemp would go a long way in doing something positive about the plastic polution of the seas, deforestation and more.
But it grows in abundance, is cheap to process. So there’s no interest in it.
@Dave Doyle: stop talking sense. They don’t like when you talk sense.
Not just turtles.
@Fiona deFreyne: But turtles have nice smiley faces and feature in kids movies. SInce when did anyone want to watch Finding Mickey the Monkfish? Plastic is killing most sea life and if turtles can draw attention to it then that’s fine. We are a despicable species.
Man kind is killing the Planet
@j4VEpUO8: man unkind.
100,000s of birds and marine mammals die every year. You can create knowledge to educate society by mapping and opening up data on plastic pollution anywhere @ openlittermap.com. It’s like Pokémon Go for tidy towns. Get paid Littercoin for mapping and opening up data on plastic pollution anywhere
Die from plastic pollution every year *
There is a campaign running that we can all do easily enough. Every time you go to the beach or sea remove 3 pieces of plastic and take it away with you. I intend to do this and we all can and should. It can make a difference right here and now.
@Catherine Sims: but the focus of attention needs to go to the corporations that can make the most difference and impact – Coca Cola P+G etc , they are the ones who design and sell the plastic packaging , this is another example of not focusing the real pressures and attention correctly – I dont get the option to buy a glass bottle of coke ? They are best positioned to actually address a real global problem and they are best positioned to impact and they actually CAN fix this problem – but THEY need to be pressurised by people power – no point to whining at the general public if the corporations supplying the products dont change as it wont make any difference imo
And still the Irish Government drags its heels on deposits for PET bottles…
One of several problems in tge oceans
Plastic is causing sterility and cancer but who cares about that as its cheap and nasty?
Plastic packaging should be banned, regardless of the packaging industries and the Lobby Group Repack’s lobbying .
have your say