Plastic pollution is a severe issue for marine life, particularly for whales. Each year, approximately 14 million tons of plastic enter the oceans, causing many marine creatures to mistake it for food.
A recent study from Duke University published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin highlights that whales are misled by their own echolocation. When sound waves bounce off plastic debris, they resemble the signals returned from prey, such as squid.
The researchers tested various types of plastic found in the stomachs of deceased whales using sonar frequencies similar to those emitted by the whales themselves. The results showed that the echoes from plastic closely mimic those of actual prey, especially plastic films. This confusion poses serious physiological and toxicological risks to the whales.
Whales are already at risk due to various human activities. Many stranded cetaceans die as a result of human actions, including indiscriminate hunting and entanglement in fishing nets. For instance, the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis), which can grow up to 17 meters and weigh up to 80 tons, is critically endangered. The situation is dire, as around 40,000 blue whales are killed annually, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts.