This pregnant whale died trapped in a ghost fishing net, a lesser known but widespread emergency.
Era trapped in a fishing net this poor whale found dead on the island of Sanday, in the Orkney archipelago, Scotland. Unfortunately, according to experts from the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (Smass), it was even pregnant.
The death was caused by the nylon net in which she was entangled, which caused difficulties in moving and feeding, and this despite being in perfect health.
Unfortunately the abandoned fishing gear at sea represent a huge risk to marine fauna, and among these also the so-called "ghost nets"That come lost or abandoned in the water. They move for kilometers dragged by currents and in this way kill many animals, without any benefit for humans.
Yet another baleen whale found to be a victim of entanglement- this time an adult female minke whale which was found…
Posted by Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme on Tuesday, October 8, 2019
In this regard, the WWF explained that they not only catch fish, but also trap:
sea turtles, dolphins, porpoises, birds, sharks, seals and many other species.
Animals come across nets by mistake, perhaps because they are unable to see them, being trapped by them and sometimes being mortally wounded.
A single network can kill many animals without counting, the WWF always explains, the damage caused to coral reefs that are often damaged.
And what about the plastic problem? Modern nets are often made of nylon or other plastic compounds that last for centuries or which, over time, are reduced to microplastics, promptly ingested by animals.
The death of this expectant whale highlights an emergency perhaps less known than others, that of ghost nets, which adds to the many human atrocities that are destroying seas and oceans, sometimes out of sheer neglect.
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Laura Rose
Photo Credit: Facebook
