Leatherback Turtle - Plastic Bag or Jellyfish?

Given the choice between eating their favourite food or a plastic bag, it’s hard to believe that anyone would pick the latter option. But what if they looked identical, and you couldn’t tell the difference? Sadly, this is an all too real issue increasingly causing damage to the leatherback turtle population. According to theworldcounts.com, 160,000 plastic bags are manufactured around the world every second. Surfers Against Sewage's research suggests that every day approximately 8 million pieces of plastic pollution find their way into our oceans. The likelihood of a leatherback turtle coming into proximity with a plastic bag is extremely likely. 

Floating translucent plastic bags, with the occasional flash of brightly coloured typography and branding, could be and often are easily mistaken for a delicious, floating, translucent jellyfish. For any creature to be trapped in a world in which it’s impossible to identify its next meal is a threat to its very existence. Sadly, it is now assumed that all turtles globally have some level of plastics lining their guts. They have lived on this planet for 230 million years, yet it’s only been 160 years since Alexander Parkes introduced the world's first man-made plastic. If we don’t do something now, our younger generation will be left watching and wondering why we let all the turtles disappear. 

With special thanks to Margate local and budding oceanographer Knight.

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