While the killer whale was seen swimming towards a fishing boat and playfully communicating with divers, it was found lifeless on a beach in Brazil less than 24 hours later: The cause of its death – unfortunately – our fault too.
was inside rigid plastic object rolled into a roll longer than half a meter and a few shark bites. According to oceanographer Paulo Rodrigues, it was strange for the animal to behave this way.
Rodrigues, the killer whale’s playful behavior probably a cry for help that the whale was screaming desperately. The animal’s skinny body, covered in shark bites, was found washed up in Serra Municipality the next day.
Such deaths are not uncommon: they are estimated at approx. 14 million tons of plastic waste every year it is thrown into the ocean, and large pieces get caught in the fins and necks of marine animals, and even 40 kilos of plastic can be swallowed, like this whale.
If ingested, litter can clog an animal’s digestive tract, making them feel full and less inclined to eat. makes it difficult for the creature to get nutrients which must survive leads to weakening (which explains the bites of sharks, creatures afraid of orcas) and subsequent death.
In addition to the rounded object, other debris from the same material and nothing else was found, suggesting that the mammal was unable to eat for a long time.
Source: Every Eye