Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Sperm whale dies with 100kg 'litter ball' in
its stomach
Whales are the largest mammals on earth. They
feed, mate, give birth and raise their young at sea. Their size could be as
long as 30 meters and as heavy as 190 tons.
The sperm whale is the largest toothed
predator. They usually dive between 300 and 800 meters but occasionally go down to 1,000 to 2,000 meters deep to search food, such as squid, octopuses,
and fish.
Recently, a young adult sperm whale was found
dead on the Isle of Harris in Scotland. What was found in the stomach was not a
lot of squid or fish but 100 kilograms of human waste, such as fishing nets,
rope, packing straps, plastic bags, and cups. Though it is not clear if the
litter ball was the cause of the death of the whale, it isn’t hard to guess that
other whales have similar substance in their stomach as they basically swallow anything
in the water.
While whales are now protected by
international law, save a few still-whale-hunting nations like Japan and Norway,
they are facing other human-caused problems in their realm.
Enjoy reading the article and learn what
could kill the largest living creature on earth.
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