Sperm whale dies with 100kg 'litter ball' in its stomach

[nitpicker]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-50621304?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science_and_environment&link_location=live-reporting-story

Sperm whale dies with 100kg 'litter ball' in its stomach

8 hours ago

A sperm whale which died after stranding on the Isle of Harris had a 100kg "litter ball" in its stomach.

Fishing nets, rope, packing straps, bags and plastic cups were among the items discovered in a compacted mass.

Whale experts said it was not immediately clear whether the debris had contributed to the whale's death.

But locals who found the carcass on Seilebost beach on Thursday said it highlighted the wider problem of marine pollution.
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The debris is believed to have originated from both the land and the fishing industry.
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[Judi Lynn]

1. Sperm Whale Dead On Scotland Beach With 220 Pounds Of Trash In Stomach

Sperm Whale Dead On Scotland Beach With 220 Pounds Of Trash In Stomach
By Tisha Ocampo
12/02/19 AT 12:43 PM

A dead sperm whale was found dead on the Seilebost Beach on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides last Thursday with a hundred kilogram ball of litter in its stomach.

According to the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) who conducted the necropsy on the juvenile sperm whale, the debris came from “both the land and fishing sector” and included plastic, bundles of rope, bags, gloves, packing straps, pieces of net, plastic cups and tubing.

SMASS, an organization that gathers data on stranded marine animals in Scotland, said that there is no evidence linking the waste to the animal’s intestinal blockage, but they believed that the amount of debris could have played a part in its live stranding, CNN reported.

“This amount of plastic in its stomach is nonetheless horrific, must have compromised digestion, and serves to demonstrate, yet again, the hazards that marine litter and lost or discarded fishing gear can cause to marine life,” the organization said. “It is also perhaps a good example that this is a global issue caused by a whole host of human activities.”

More:
https://www.ibtimes.com/sperm-whale-dead-scotland-beach-220-pounds-trash-stomach-2877570