Plastic Pollution: Killing Land Animals, What Can We Do?

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues, with production expected to double by 2050. The impact of plastic waste on marine life is well-documented, but it is also dangerous to animals on land. Plastic pollution affects both wild and domesticated animals, causing entanglement, intestinal blockages, and even death. Animals may become trapped in plastic waste, preventing them from hunting or making them vulnerable to predators. Ingesting plastic can block digestive tracts, pierce internal organs, and cause starvation. It can also contaminate food sources and leech toxins into the soil, impacting the health of both animals and humans.

Plastic ingestion

Animals often mistake plastic for food or consume it while eating from containers. This can lead to digestive tract obstructions and a reduced urge to eat, resulting in starvation. Plastic ingestion can also decrease an animal's stomach storage volume, making it harder for them to eat.

The impact of plastic ingestion on wildlife is severe and underscores the need for collective action, policy changes, and individual choices to reduce plastic consumption and improve recycling practices.

Furthermore, plastic particles can accumulate toxins, adding to the health risks for animals that ingest them. These toxins can disrupt endocrine systems, cause reproductive issues, and weaken immune systems, potentially leading to long-term health complications.

The presence of microplastics in the environment is also a growing concern. Microplastics can pass through the digestive systems of animals and have been found in various species, including birds, fish, and other marine life. Tests have confirmed that microplastics can cause liver and cell damage and disrupt reproductive systems, affecting population growth for some species.

Entanglement

Plastic entanglement can also cause deep cuts and wounds on animals, and in some cases, result in the loss of limbs. Raccoons, for example, often get stuck in plastic ring beverage holders, causing severe lacerations. Birds can have their flight impeded by plastic wrapped around their wings or bodies, making it difficult for them to migrate, find safety, or care for their young.

The impact of entanglement is not limited to wildlife; it also affects domesticated animals such as dogs and cows. Additionally, animals with their heads stuck in plastic containers may suffer from overheating, suffocation, dehydration, and starvation. This not only affects their health but also impairs their ability to defend themselves against threats.

The consequences of plastic entanglement can be devastating, and it is crucial to address this issue to protect animals on land and prevent unnecessary suffering and death.

Habitat degradation

Plastic pollution has a detrimental impact on the habitats of land animals. As plastic waste accumulates in ecosystems, it disrupts the natural balance and functioning of habitats, leading to habitat degradation.

Coral reefs, for example, are critical marine ecosystems that suffer from plastic pollution. When plastic debris smothers corals, it blocks essential sunlight, hindering their growth and weakening the entire ecosystem that depends on them. This disruption can have far-reaching consequences, affecting the diverse species that rely on these coral reefs for food, shelter, and breeding grounds.

In addition, plastic waste can contaminate the soil and water sources on land. Microplastics, resulting from the breakdown of larger plastic items, can leech into the soil and nearby water bodies from landfills and other environments. This contamination has been shown to decrease species diversity, including mites, larvae, and other tiny creatures that live below the surface. The decline in these species can lead to reduced soil fertility and land degradation.

Furthermore, chlorinated plastic, such as plastic food packaging and medical devices, can release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil. These chemicals can seep into groundwater, contaminating the water sources that many land animals rely on for survival. This contamination can have detrimental effects on both animal health and the overall health of the ecosystem.

The impact of plastic pollution on habitats extends beyond the physical disruption and contamination of the environment. It also includes the indirect effects on the animals that call these places home. Plastic waste can entangle land animals, restricting their movement and making them more vulnerable to predators. It can also cause intestinal blockages and wounds, impacting their health and ability to survive. These direct and indirect effects of plastic pollution on land habitats can have cascading consequences on the biodiversity and ecological balance of these environments.

Chemical contamination

Plastic pollution is a pressing environmental issue, with plastic waste causing widespread and deeply concerning effects on wildlife. One of the most concerning consequences is chemical contamination.

Plastics are composed of various chemicals, many of which are harmful to both humans and animals. When plastic waste breaks down into smaller particles, known as microplastics, these particles can absorb and concentrate toxic pollutants from the surrounding environment. As animals consume these microplastics, they ingest these pollutants, which can have detrimental health effects.

Microplastics have been found to disrupt endocrine systems, cause reproductive issues, weaken immune systems, and potentially lead to long-term health problems. For example, tests have confirmed that microplastics can cause liver and cell damage and disrupt reproductive systems. This can lead to some species, such as oysters, producing fewer eggs, threatening population growth.

The presence of microplastics in the environment is a relatively recent phenomenon, with plastics only being invented just over a century ago. However, plastic production has increased exponentially, with single-use plastics accounting for 40% of the plastic produced annually. This has led to an overwhelming amount of plastic waste, much of which ends up in the environment. As plastic waste breaks down, microplastics can enter soil and water sources, contaminating the food that wildlife consumes.

Fruits like apples and pears, for example, have been found to contain high levels of microplastics, with similar levels detected in vegetables like broccoli and carrots. This means that wildlife, as well as humans, are likely to be consuming contaminated food. The impact of microplastics on human health is still being studied, but it is clear that plastic pollution is having a detrimental effect on animal life and ecosystems.

Intestinal blockages

The impact of plastic pollution on animals that live on land is devastating. Animals may mistake plastic for food, or they may consume plastic while eating the leftover food it contains. Either way, ingesting plastic can cause intestinal blockages and be fatal for that animal.

There have been many reported cases of land-based mammals, including elephants, hyenas, zebras, tigers, camels, and cattle, accidentally consuming plastic waste, resulting in unnecessary deaths. For example, in January 2018, a 20-year-old wild elephant in Periyar, India, died from plastic ingestion. It was later revealed that significant amounts of plastic had blocked the elephant's intestines, causing internal bleeding and organ failure.

Plastic ingestion can also pierce internal organs in wildlife. It can choke and starve animals by making them feel full after eating plastic. In some cases, plastic consumption can lead to a reduction in stomach storage volume, making it difficult for animals to eat.

Death is the ultimate tragedy for animals that consume plastic, and this fate is faced by both wild and domestic animals alike.

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