Impact on Wildlife
Shoreline litter and aquatic debris primarily threatens wildlife through entanglement and ingestion. Additionally, many of the species that are most vulnerable to these risks also happen to be endangered or threatened, including sea turtles, fish, marine mammals, and birds.
Entanglement
Entanglement is most often caused by items such as plastic strapping bands, rope, wire, fishing lines, six pack rings and other similar items. Meanwhile, abandoned fishing gear such as lines, nets, traps and pots pose another threat in the form of ghost fishing. This is a phenomenon where these items continue to catch fish and trap marine mammals, turtles, and seabirds long after they’ve been discarded.
Entanglement can happen accidentally, or because the animal is attracted to the items out of curiosity, hunger, or some other natural behaviour. Some wildlife, especially birds, even use pieces of litter to build their nests and shelters, which can then entangle their young. Entanglement often impairs an animal’s ability to move or swim, causing it to drown, be unable to find food, or escape predators. When an animal tries to free itself from entanglement and happens to survive, it may cause itself serious wounds that become infected and lead to loss of limbs. Sadly, the animal is most often suffocated or strangled.
Ingestion
Ingestion occurs when animals swallow litter items, the results of which can be devastating. Doing so often interferes with an animal’s ability to eat, breathe and move, leading to starvation, choking or fatal poisoning depending on the item. Generally, animals swallow litter items because they resemble a typical part of their diet.
For example, trumpeter swans swallow tiny pebbles of grit to aid with digestion, but have also been found to eat lead shotgun pellets by accident, a highly poisonous substitute. Similarly, turtles will mistakenly eat plastic bags as they strongly resemble their common prey, jellyfish. This then clogs the turtle’s digestive tracts and leads to starvation. Furthermore, the air trapped within these plastic bags makes it nearly impossible for turtles to dive deep into the water.
Plastic pellets and discarded plastic that has broken up into smaller and smaller pieces over time, is a particular concern as the indigestible substance can fill an animal’s stomach. This can lead to malnutrition, or stopping of eating altogether because the animal feels “full.” These small particles can be ingested by a wide range of animals at the bottom of the aquatic food web, creating the potential to disrupt feeding and digestion all the way up the food chain. For birds in particular, this change in diet can lead to a loss of the fat stores critical for migration and reproduction.
PLEASE, be part of the solution and help keep our waters healthy for everyone!!
The national Shoreline Cleanup, a conservation initiative of the Vancouver Aquarium and WWF, takes place from September 15 to 23, 2012.
To learn more or register today, please visit ShorelineCleanup.ca and be sure to follow on Facebook and Twitter.
The information contained in this post was obtained from ShorelineCleanup.ca
All photos from ShorelineCleanup.ca
Thanks for posting this! So important to spread the word! We live on a small island in Northern Ontario. Our beaches are pristine! We have white sand beaches and the water is turquoise/aqua! Truly spectacular! The only problem is that tourists come and mess it up :( As locals, we take part in cleaning up the shores and pick up garbage left behind. It’s so sad that people don’t respect nature more :(
Christine, it is so wonderful that your beaches are kept pristine by the local people, it’s so sad indeed that people have such little regard for the beauty and true awesomeness of nature and other living creatures.
It’s really upsetting that this is still happening. I remember learning about this back in grade school… almost 25 years ago! It’s so sad to know that these poor animals are still being killed by thoughtless litter. I’ve bookmarked the site, and as soon as I can confirm my mom can watch my daughter I’m going to register to help with one of the clean-ups near me! Thank you!
Elizabeth, that would be awesome if you helped with one of the clean-ups! I’ve organized a clean up for a beach near me :)
So senseless. The news here followed a Heron that had an onion bag around his bill. Heartbreaking. Shoreline Cleanup sounds like a great project. Thanks for sharing.
Shannon, it is very heartbreaking, I think people don’t understand the possible impact of their actions.
This is so sad and senseless. If each one cleaned up after themselves, then this wouldn’t be happening. I noticed that there are many sites taking registration, so folks can come out to help with the clean up of our rivers, lakes, beaches and streams. Thanks for posting.
Kathy at Oak Lawn Images
I thank you for continuing to draw attention to this issue. As a teacher, theseu are the stories that devestate my young students and leave them frustrated and wanting to help. It was an excellent post and i thank you for keeping it in the public eye.
Jarod
Thanks Jarod, maybe as a teacher you could educate your students re: the impact of improper waste disposal and draw awareness to this very worthwhile cause.
It’s awful to see such senseless actions being taken. Great post to bring attention and awareness to us. These stories upset me because although these animals and those in the wild cannot communicate with us in the verbal sense we as humans know and understand. It doesn’t mean they don’t suffer and it’s usually at the hands of us their suffering continues.
I couldn’t agree more Jodi! These creatures are suffering because of mankinds carelessness.
It breaks my heart the things that happen to the wildlife because of humans.
It’s sad that due to laziness and carelessness, these animals have to suffer. It’s great that you are helping to spread the message and I hope some of the companies and people causing these problems will start listening.
Great post on awareness!
It breaks my heart to see the animals injured and even death caused by lazy humans who do not take care to put their trash away.
I know how you feel Erica, it breaks my heart too. It’s difficult to believe that in this enlightened era people would still pollute our beaches and waterways!
I participated in this last year and will be taking the kids down again this year. It’s amazing how much we pollute our waterways and they are so essential to our well being.
Julia, I think it’s very important the little ones are aware of the damage to waters, shores and wildlife caused by polluting them. Kudos to you and your family for participating!! {I’m organizing a clean up this year, should be fun and it’s such a great cause!}
Those pictures just broke my heart! Thanks for sharing such an important cause!
I know Tammy, very, very sad!
This is very disturbing to see. I detest litter of any kind and It’s all the place. I’d hate to see what a persons home looks life who can leave such trash around.
This is such a great reminder about how much damage our carelessness can cause! Living in Saskatchewan, our garbage more often ends up in our lakes and threatens birds and fish. I love the idea of doing a shoreline clean-up! It’s really so sad to see how much garbage is just tossed into the water or onto the beach when it would be so easy to pop it in a bag and dispose of it properly later.
It’s so sad to see this happening and it’s so important that people are aware of their actions and how it effects all living things!
It breaks my heart to see these pictures and hear of the suffering of animals. It drives me crazy to see litter anywhere, and especially near the waters edge.
Ghost fishing is a serious issue that anyone who uses fishing gear needs to be aware of, and act responsibly. Thanks for the fantastic article.