Now that we are aware of the complexities of the effects of plastics, what animals specifically are affected by plastic pollution?
Well, hundreds of species of animals are affected by plastic pollution. But there are a number of species that are greatly affected than the rest.
The short video below by CNN introduces plastic pollution and the 5 marine species that are deeply affected. Please click the screenshot of the web page below and you would be redirected accordingly. (The video does show some videos and pictures of animals, if you don’t want to see those just carry on reading the blog post)
The 5 marine species stated in the video are:
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- Sea turtles
- Fish
- Seals
- Sea Birds
- Whales
Of course, not only marine species are affected by plastic pollution. Land-based animals, like cows and raccoons, are also affected by plastic pollution. However, as said previously in a post, plastics often flow from land or are directly transported into water bodies which then lead to oceans being a major sink for plastics.
What’s next?
Stay tuned to the upcoming posts for detailed information and case studies of one or two of the species mentioned above! 🙂
References
CNN (n.d.). Plastic pollution is killing these animals. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/videos/weather/2019/05/09/ocean-plastics-killing-animals-explainer-orig-llr-lc.cnn/video/playlists/cnn-travel-ocean-and-discoveries/ [Accessed 28 Aug. 2020].