Scientists from Australia and the United Kingdom have described, for the first time, a disease caused by plastic ingestion in birds. Plasticosis, as the condition was named, has been identified in Cory’s Shearwaters, and is responsible for internal cuts in the animals’ bodies, causing the formation of severe scar tissue.
Scar tissue is nothing more than a scar that forms to repair the injured site. However, in excess, the picture can cause a disease called fibrosis, which can prevent the function of the organs, leading them to failure. Plastic can also block, sore, and perforate the digestive tract, and reduce your pet’s appetite to the point where it starves to death.
More on the subject
-
Brazil
Pollution worsens and compromises bathing on João Pessoa beaches
-
Health
Study shows that air pollution is linked to dementia
-
Health
Polluted air particles can lead to cardiac arrest, study finds
-
Health
Sand particles may act once morest obesity, study finds
The study was published in early March in the scientific journal Journal of Hazardous Material. The researchers analyzed the carcasses of dozens of dead birds and found sharp microplastics, regarding five millimeters in size. According to the article, the birds’ stomachs were bulging and regarding to burst — 202 pieces of plastic were found in total.
“This study clearly demonstrates plastic’s ability to directly induce severe scar tissue formation in free-ranging wild animals, which is likely detrimental to individual health and survival,” highlights the research.
plastic pollution
Shearwaters are birds that live on Lord Howe Island, which is approximately 600 kilometers off the east coast of Australia. Despite the considerable distance from human civilization, some offspring of the species die as a result of incorrect plastic disposal.
Each autumn, dead pups litter the island’s beaches, and for years scientists have been analyzing why. “This species is heavily impacted by plastic pollution, with approximately 90% of necropsied birds containing ingested plastics,” the study describes.
Consequences
The consequences of plastic ingestion may not be the same for all animals, but given the proportion in which the material is used, there are reasons to be concerned regarding, for example, ecological imbalance. The chain process can drastically decrease the number of birds, impacting the survival of its predator, which, in turn, impacts the life of another species.
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push(
mode: “thumbnails-c-3×1”,
container: “taboola-mid-article”,
placement: “Mid Article”,
target_type: “mix”
);
As plastic consumption continues to grow and pollution gets worse, it’s inevitable that animals of all species will soon be exposed to the material.
Plastic pollution is believed to affect more than 1,200 marine species at nearly every level of the food chain, but scientists still don’t know what impact ingested or inhaled synthetic fibers and debris have on animal health.
Get news from metropolises on your Telegram and stay on top of everything! Just access the channel: https://t.me/metropolesurgente.
The post Scientists describe illness caused by plastic ingestion in birds first appeared on Metropolis.
