Pilot Whale ‘Struggled Fiercely’ in Painful 5-Day Death
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When you next go shopping consider this: A whale died Friday in Thailand from having ingested 80 plastic bags weighing some 18 pounds.
Thai officials say locals in Southern Thailand noticed the short-fin male pilot whale looking sick and floating oddly earlier this week, so government veterinarians and people from a whale conservancy organization came in to help.
The sick mammal was given fluids and medicine, then began vomiting plastic Friday and “struggled fiercely” to purge what it could, per the ThaiWhales Facebook page. Sadly, the whale died that afternoon.
After an autopsy revealed the plastic ingestion, a government official said the whale likely thought the bags were food. Marine biologist Thon Thamrongnawasawat said the bags then prevented the creature from ingesting anything nutritional, the Guardian reports. “If you have 80 plastic bags in your stomach, you die,” he explained.
Thailand is among the world’s top users of plastic bags, which kill at least 300 marine animals there annually. “It’s a huge problem,” says Thamrongnawasawat. “We use a lot of plastic.”
But Thailand’s not alone: A recent British study warned that the Earth’s plastic clutter will triple in 10 years if nothing is done.
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This is going to be a common sight I think. I’ve seen birds the same way. I carry tote bags myself and have started bringing Pyrex containers from home to carry leftovers in. That gets me really weird looks at restaurants, till I explain why I am doing it.
That’s a good idea. I’ve never cared about weird looks anyway. Fuck ’em I say !!! 🙂
I don’t either but when you go into upscale places they frown on it Mike. They can be a teeny tiny bit snobby about things. Me, I don’t care because I paid for the mealand I want things done my way and if that includes you touching my Pyrex, not a euphemism by the way, you’ll touch my Pyrex 🙂
They are a large killer of sea turtles in Florida waters too and our local beach here is one of the most important turtle nesting beaches anywhere.
We very assiduously save and recycle bags when we’re forced to have them and choose paper or use cloth tote bags when possible. But every time we have a storm or there is flooding, these plastic things wash out to sea. It’s time to stop this.
I always opt for paper bags when they’re available. Walmart, America’s largest retailer, doesn’t offer a paper bag option. WTF???? I also use tote bags when I remember to tote them.