The drama of seals and sea lions suffocated by garbage (photos)

Seals and sea lions strangled by plastic and fishing gear. The Alaska Department of Fisheries is running for cover

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

Animals strangled by debris wandering in sea or trapped in fishing nets. It is no longer a rarity, but the crude images spread since Daily Mail, which has long followed the sad events of creature marine dell’Alaska suffocated by plastic and garbage, they still leave you speechless.

Horrifying photos and videos turn the spotlight on the ocean pollution problem again: Sea lions mutilated by garbage, seals strangled by nets, bands, plastic bands and fishing lures. In particular, the harmful effects of the waste on sea ​​lions and seals was highlighted by a new video released by the country's fishing authorities.

In particular, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game showed how fishing gear and other debris endanger the lives of these animals. Many die strangled because nets or rubber bands are tightened around their necks, others suffocate by swallowing what remains of plastic ties or metal artificial baits. And many of these animals, according to experts, are young.

The Alaska authorities, which have long underestimated the damage done to the marine ecosystem by the fishery, are now seeking to collaborate more closely with the fishing industry to save seals and sea lions, the latter at risk of extinction along the coast of Alaska.

So far, according to the Daily Mail, 386 animals are marine animals that have come into close contact with the debris.

Lauri Jemison, program wildlife biologist Sea Lion Steller dell 'Alaska Department of Fish and Game, who took part in the study, explained that the problem was often underestimated: “We certainly underestimated the number of animals entangled. We go out every summer here in Southeast Alaska and try to visit every area where the animals come to shore and the colony where they breed at least once. "

According to the researchers' hypothesis, the terrible effects of the debris could also strike other animals, including birds and turtles.

In the international field, numerous attempts have been made to reduce the amount of waste that is dispersed into the sea. The Daily Mail has been involved in the campaign for some time Bags, which aims to eradicate the use of bags from the UK plastic, which have already caused the deaths of numerous whales off the coast of Britain.

Also sperm whales are put at risk by plastic. One example above all: in Californian beaches in 2008, two specimens were found, one of which had 250 chili of plastic in the stomach.

Meanwhile, the Department of Alaska is seeking funding to ensure that sea lions and seals are no longer trapped in fishing gear. We need to act quickly to free them from waste, as emerged from the Global Conference on Land-Ocean Connections (Gloc), held in Manila, in the Philippines, a few weeks ago. A fight against time and garbage, to safeguard our seas.

Francesca Mancuso