Why Can Turtle Eat Plastic

We all know turtles are fascinating, but did you ever wonder about their seeming ability to consume foreign substances, like plastic? You may then raise the question:

Why can turtles eat plastic? The straightforward answer is, they can’t. They often mistake plastic for food—especially jellyfish—but they can’t digest it. The plastic can cause blockages and serious harm to the turtle.

Let’s delve into this in more detail, shedding light on the impact plastic pollution has on these majestic sea creatures and what we can do to help.

The Turtle: A Brief Overview

Turtles are an integral part of marine life systems and habitats. Belonging to the order Testudines, they are breaktaking in their diversity – ranging from the tiny Bog Turtle to the enormous Leatherback Sea Turtle. Their species span across all continents except Antarctica, inhabiting various environments like saltwater, freshwater and land.

Conservation Status of Turtles Worldwide

Despite their widespread distribution, many turtle species are currently threatened. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), about 61% of the 356 known turtle and tortoise species are either threatened or already extinct. This is a direct consequence of habitat loss, pet trade, and hunting for their meat or shells. However, one significant threat overshadows the rest: ingestion of marine debris, predominantly plastics.

Dietary Habits of Turtles: Omnivores of the Sea

Turtles are primarily omnivores. The specifics of their diet can vary based on species and age, but it is typically a balanced mix of both plant and animal matter. For example, Green Turtles are primarily herbivores and feed on seagrasses and algae, while the Hawksbill Turtles are omnivores and often consume sponges, coral, and other invertebrates.

The problem arises when plastics enter their diet. Turtles mistake plastic materials and other litter for food due to their color and translucency that can resemble jellyfish or seaweeds. It’s a pressing issue since about 52% of the world’s sea turtles have already ingested plastic, according to a 2015 study published in Global Change Biology.

Once consumed, these plastics can cause life-threatening complications including blockages, starvation, and damage to internal organs. This highlights another layer of urgency for coastal clean-up efforts, aimed at reducing the plastic waste littering our oceans.

Misunderstood Meals: Why Turtles Consume Plastic

It may seem strange to us humans, but indeed, sea turtles often consume plastic, making this topic complex, alarming and in need of swift attention. The key question arises, why can turtles eat plastic? The simple answer is, they certainly don’t digest it knowingly. However, it’s a matter of both misconception and circumstance that has led these creatures to confuse plastic debris for their typical diet.

The Confusion of Color: Mistaking Plastic For Jellyfish

It’s important to begin by understanding the main diet of many sea turtles. One particular favorite of certain species, especially the Leatherback Sea Turtle, is jellyfish. This choice of food already causes them some trouble, given a jellyfish’s 95% water composition offering minimal nutritional value. Yet there’s a more hazardous aspect of this preference: jellyfish bear an alarming resemblance to plastic bags when drifting in the ocean.

Plastic bags and fragments, notably those that are clear or semi-translucent, often adopt the same shape and color as jellyfish. The turtles, lacking the ability to discern plastic from their regular diet visually, often end up consuming the floating plastic debris, mistaking it for a meal. In fact, a 2013 study published in the ‘Marine Pollution Bulletin’ found that out of 37 sea turtles examined, more than half had ingested plastic, demonstrating the scale on which this misidentification occurs.

At the Mercy of Currents: How Ocean Drift Affects Diet

Sea turtles, while incredible swimmers, mostly move at the whim of ocean currents. The routes they take and the regions they frequent often heavily depend on these water movements. This reliance on currents not only determines their migration paths but also where they look for food.

Regrettably, it’s in these same currents that millions of tons of plastic waste find their way into the ocean each year. For instance, a 2015 McKinsey report estimated that 8 million metric tons of plastic waste entered the ocean from land in 2010 alone. The currents carry the waste into concentrated areas, creating so-called “garbage patches”, which are hotspots abundant with plastic debris.

Therefore, when sea turtles travel these nutrient-rich currents in search of food, they are inevitably led to areas filled with plastic. The combination of drifting plastic debris mimicking their food and the currents directing them towards these polluted zones leads to the unfortunate circumstance of turtles consuming plastic.

Devastating Consequences: The Impact of Plastic Consumption

Many people often wonder, why can a turtle eat plastic? The unfortunate truth is that turtles don’t purposely consume plastic. Instead, they mistakenly ingest it, mistaking it for food like jellyfish. When plastic debris enters the ocean, turtles, along with other marine animals, are at a high risk of consuming these non-degradable materials. This brings up severe concerns about the devastating impact of plastic consumption on these vulnerable creatures.

Digestive Distress: The Internal Damage Caused by Plastic

When turtles ingest plastic, it can cause a multitude of internal issues. One of the most severe consequences is digestive obstruction, which can result in slower growth rates, reproductive issues, or even starvation. According to a study published in ‘Current Biology’, even a single piece of plastic ingested by a sea turtle can increase its chance of death by 22%.

The Deadly Culprit: Microplastics and their Hazardous Nature

Besides larger pieces of plastics, microplastics also pose a significant threat to turtles. These are tiny pieces of plastic, less than 5mm in size, that result from the breakdown of larger plastic items over time. Microplastics adsorb harmful contaminants, including persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals, that can transfer into the turtles once ingested. As per a report by Ocean Crusaders, a staggering 100% of baby turtles have plastic in their stomachs.

Population Concerns: The Threat to Turtle Continuity

The ingestion of plastic by turtles not only affects individual turtles but also poses a serious threat to their overall population. Today, nearly all species of sea turtles are classified as endangered, with plastic pollution being one of the primary threats. Recent research, as featured in ‘Global Change Biology’, suggests that over 50% of the world’s turtles have eaten plastic. The loss of turtles can lead to devastating consequences for marine ecosystems as they play crucial roles in maintaining the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs.

Unveiling Oceanic Woes: The Plastics Crisis

Our seas and oceans are in serious jeopardy because of the increasing scourge of plastic waste. Today, our blue planet is suffering from an unprecedented plastics crisis, an issue that is growing as steadily as the tide itself. The scale of the problem is staggering – the Ocean Conservancy reports that 8 million metric tons of plastic waste find their way into our oceans each year. That’s equivalent to a garbage truck dumping plastic into the sea every minute. As overwhelming as that sounds, it only seems to be the tip of the iceberg.

Why are our oceans being inundated with such vast quantities of plastic? The answer lies in our excessive use of disposable plastic products and inadequate waste disposal methods. Single-use plastics such as bottles, bags, straws, and packaging make up a significant portion of the oceanic plastic litter. Poor waste management systems in many regions fail to recycle or safely dispose of these items, adding to the mounting problem. Consequently, much of our discarded plastic finds its way into seas and oceans, carried there by rivers and wind.

The Rising Tide: Increasing Quantities of Marine Plastic

The scale of the problem is becoming more serious every year. The World Economic Forum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation predict that, at the current rate, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by 2050. This forecast itself speaks volumes about the grave situation we are dealing with. It’s not just the quantity, but the durability of this plastic waste that poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems. Once in the ocean, plastic does not decompress or ‘break down’ naturally. Instead, it simply fragments into smaller pieces called microplastics, which remain in the environment for hundreds to thousands of years, exacerbating the problem further.

Trash Islands: The Notorious Garbage Patches of the Oceans

Another visible manifestation of this crisis is the vast ‘garbage patches’ found floating in our oceans. These are large areas of the ocean where garbage, mainly plastic, accumulates, carried by the ocean currents. The most infamous of these is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located between Hawaii and California. It’s now three times the size of France and holds 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic, according to a study published by Scientific Reports. Other such garbage patches are found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Selecting the most suitable solution to this crisis isn’t straightforward considering its magnitude and complexity. But what’s clear is that our marine environment is bearing the brunt of our plastic waste, with sea turtles often found ingesting plastic. The question that arises is – why can turtles eat plastic? Is it a part of their the natural diet, or is there more to this? This is something we will delve into in the subsequent sections.

From Shore to Sea: Sources of Marine Plastic

With around eight million metric tons of plastic entering our oceans annually, it’s imperative we understand the sources and impacts of this marine plastic. It surprisingly originates from our day-to-day lives and activities, before gradually making its way towards the sea.

One of these plastic sources that often go unnoticed are microbeads and fibres. Microbeads are tiny pieces of plastic, each smaller than a pinhead. They are used in personal care products like face scrubs, toothpaste, and shower gels. A single bottle of these products can contain up to 300,000 microbeads. When we wash off these products, the microbeads flow down the drain into our water systems, and eventually, find their way into the ocean. Thus, creating unseen plastic pollution.

Likewise, fibres from synthetic clothes contribute to this problem. During a single wash, a synthetic item can lose up to 1900 tiny fibres, which get flushed out with the wastewater. Unable to be filtered effectively by wastewater plants, these fibres eventually end up in our oceans. Over time, these minute plastic particles accumulate, thereby threatening marine ecosystems and life.

However, our reliance on single-use plastic such as bags, bottles, and straws significantly contributes to the plastic problem. The convenience of using plastic items once and then throwing them away comes with a lifelong impact on the environment. Single-use plastic represents 50% of the plastic waste generated globally. These items often end up in our landfills and water bodies, slowly breaking down and releasing toxins harmful to the environment and marine life such as turtles.

Believing these plastic items to be food, turtles consume them, which can result in fatal implications. By understanding the origins of marine plastic, we can work towards reducing our plastic consumption and protecting our oceans and its inhabitants.

Standing Up for Turtles: Conservation Efforts

In the fight against plastic pollution decimating turtle populations, policy measures play a significant role. The international community, through various regulatory bodies and agreements, is taking definitive action. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), for instance, has declared war on ocean plastic pollution, including the microplastics that turtles often mistake for food.

The UNEP rolled out its #CleanSeas campaign in 2017, targeting 100% of plastics to be reusable, recyclable, or recoverable by 2025. To date, over 60 countries have joined the fight, pledging to introduce bans on single-use plastics, promising financial contributions, and embarking on intensive cleanup efforts. Countries like Canada have even added plastic microbeads to their list of toxic substances, effectively banning their use in toiletries, which lessens the number of microplastics ending up in our oceans.

Is It Safe for Turtles to Consume Human Beverages Like Coffee?

No, turtle drinking coffee possible. Turtles should not consume human beverages like coffee. Caffeine can be harmful to turtles, leading to health issues and even death. It’s important for pet owners to ensure that their turtles have a suitable and safe diet.

What You Can Do: Making A Real Impact

Each of us can play a significant role in mitigating the plastic pollution that threatens our beloved sea creatures, including turtles. One way to start making a substantial impact is by practicing responsible consumption, especially when it comes to single-use plastic.

Single-use plastic products like straws, plastic bags, and water bottles, contribute the most to plastic pollution. On a global scale, about 300 million tons of plastic is produced every year; nearly half of which is for single-use purposes. These disposable plastics are often not recycled and end up in our oceans, posing threats to marine life like turtles. Therefore, one of the key solutions lies in reducing our consumption of single-use plastics.

Your choices can range from using reusable shopping bags, water bottles, and coffee cups, to refusing plastic cutlery and straws. Buying items in bulk to minimize packaging, purchasing second-hand items, and choosing products with less plastic packaging or eco-friendly alternatives can also help significantly.

Join the Cause: Supporting Conservation Organizations

Another way of making a significant contribution towards the well-being of turtles and other marine species involves supporting the efforts of conservation organizations that work tirelessly to protect these majestic creatures. There exist countless organizations worldwide that help clean up beaches, rescue injured animals, and work on policy change to help aquatic animals.

You can show your support by donating, volunteering, or participating in their organized events. Frequently, these organizations arrange events like beach clean-ups, rehabilitation for injured turtles, and educational outreach in the community. By joining in these efforts, you’re not only helping the invaluable work these organizations do but also sparking change in your local community by raising awareness.

Additionally, remember that ‘word of mouth’ is a powerful tool. Spreading the message about the disheartening effects of plastic pollution on marine life, and what can be done to help, will encourage others to get involved too.

Supporting policy changes that aim to reduce single-use plastic and hold companies accountable for their waste is also crucial. By raising your voice through signing petitions, contacting representatives, or using your vote, you can advocate for regulatory changes that can have a far-reaching positive impact on our environment.

Resources

https://www.unc.edu/posts/2020/03/09/why-do-sea-turtles-eat-ocean-plastics-new-research-points-to-smell/
https://news.clas.ufl.edu/why-do-sea-turtles-consume-plastic-blame-the-smell/
https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/why-marine-debris-problem/ingestion