Globally, more than 240 wildlife species, including whales, are known to have ingested plastic, which can result in internal injuries and death. A recent study of marine life found that flexible plastic like plastic bags and packaging is responsible for the largest proportion of deaths from debris, primarily due to gastric obstructions. Whales are not the only species to be harmed by plastic debris. Dolphins, sea turtles, seabirds, and fish around the globe cannot escape it either, according to the study’s review of hundreds of scientific articles.
For many years, I have researched sperm whales, and admit they are my absolute favorite animals. Often referred to as the “elephants of the sea”, sperm whales, like their terrestrial counterparts, live in highly social and complex matriarchal societies. They feed on squid, spending 70% of their lives foraging in deep waters. Plastic debris is hitting this species particularly hard. One stranded whale had ingested 135 items—the highest number recorded for this species. These were predominantly plastic bags, which can look like squid to a whale. Whales and dolphins that die from debris have been observed swimming with difficulty in the days leading up to their deaths, which may increase their risk of being struck by ships or boats. For this reason, researchers think that death resulting from plastic may be more common than is currently being reported.
One of the most damaging types of marine plastic pollution is abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear—commonly called “ghost gear.” About 10% of the world’s ocean plastic pollution is made up of plastic-based fishing nets and rope. Every year, 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises get accidentally entangled in nets and lines and die a slow and painful death through suffocation, starvation, or exhaustion.
