240 wildlife species, including whales, are known to have ingested plastic
Whale health is linked to and is a critical indicator of ocean health
Protecting whales is crucial to protecting healthy oceans for all of us. They fertilize marine ecosystems and even help us fight the climate crisis—on average, a whale throughout its lifetime captures the same amount of carbon as 1,000 trees.
Whale health is linked to and is a critical indicator of ocean health. They even help drive a tourism industry of whale-watching worth more than $2 billion globally. Yet even these ocean giants are being impacted by the “deadliest predator in the sea”: plastic pollution.
Plastic waste pollutes every corner of the ocean, threatens marine wildlife, and even ends up in the seafood we eat. From our local beaches to remote tropical islands and polar regions, plastic is choking our oceans and killing wildlife. It is the most visible example of human impact on our seas. Currently, more than 11 million metric tons of plastic are flowing into the ocean each year. By 2050, there could be more plastic in the sea by weight than fish.
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, researchers 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.
To save whales, we need to keep our oceans healthy. To save whales for future generations, we need to prevent plastic such as plastic bags, plastic packaging, plastic sheets, fishing rope, nets, tackle, and balloons from entering the ocean and move away from being a plastic-based society.
