Sperm Whale Dies Due to Huge «Trash Ball» in Its Stomach
The trash weighed about 100 kg.
A 100-kilogram ball of trash was found in the stomach of a sperm whale that was discovered dead after washing up on the coast of the Scottish island of Harris. This is reported by the BBC.
Fishing nets, ropes, packing tape, bags and plastic cups were among the items found in the compacted mass of trash in the sperm whale's stomach. Cetacean specialists said it is still unclear whether the trash contributed to the whale's death.
But local residents, who found the carcass of the dead sperm whale on the beach last week, believe such autopsy results point to a worsening ocean pollution problem. A resident of a neighboring town said, «It was a sad sight to see fishing nets and trash being pulled out of the animal's stomach».
Members of a Scottish organization that investigates the deaths of whales and dolphins carried out an autopsy on the sperm whale to try to determine the cause of its death. They said: «The animal was not in very poor condition... Although this amount of trash was probably the reason it washed up on the coast, we could not find evidence that it led to intestinal blockage».
The organization's staff also added that such an amount of plastic in the stomach is terrible. This once again demonstrates the dangers that trash in the ocean or discarded fishing gear can pose to marine life.
Earlier, the body of a dead whale was found under a bridge in London.
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