How Toxic Waste Harms Wildlife

The way we treat our planet not only affects us but also has adverse effects on animals. Each year, millions of wild animals die from the waste found on grounds, lakes, and beaches, and dumped or washed into our oceans. Some of the many animals harmed are birds, seals, turtles, and fish. This article describes the effect that just some of humans' littering activities have had on animals.

Birds

• Many species of birds, such as ducks and swans, have been trapped in plastic soda rings. Other birds mistake waste found on the ground for food and choke on it. Researchers have found plastic bottle caps in the stomachs of albatross chicks, which their mothers mistook as food. It is estimated that this toxic diet kills millions of albatross chicks each year.

Seals

• Seals are affected by waste in the ocean. Scientists suspect that the consumption of the waste in a seal's body may cause an immune deficiency. Additionally, oil spills are believed to cause irritation to a seal's ears, throat, eyes, and nose. The oil can stick to a seal's fur, which affects the fur's insulating function and can cause a seal to die from the cold sea temperature.

Turtles

• Every year an estimated 100,000 sea turtles are killed because they've ingested plastic waste found in the sea. Lighter and bottle tops are just some of the types of waste found in a dead turtle in Hawaii.

Fish

• Toxic waste produced by factories, such as lead and oil, are thrown into the oceans. This careless action kills countless fish. In addition, other toxic chemicals such as pesticides, ammonia, and detergents have been found to be fatal to fish in a lake called the Rodrigo de Freitas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Preserve Wildlife

• There are four important things that you can do to help preserve wildlife. The first thing is to not litter. Instead of throwing an empty soda bottle on the ground, walk to the nearest trash receptacle, or hold onto it until you can throw it in a trash bin at home.

  Second, participate in recycling programs by having separate trash bins for plastic, cans, glass bottles, paper, and food. When you're throwing away your trash, put each object in its respective trash bin. By recycling, you're helping to reduce oil spills because less oil will be used to create brand new plastic products that use recycled plastics.

  The third thing is to walk instead of driving to a location, again using less oil. You can also make a difference by strategically combining multiple errands into single trips.

  And, lastly, encourage your neighbors to keep a clean environment by putting up signs that tell them to recycle and to throw their trash in the nearest trash receptacle. You might even want to put photos of the animals talked about here on the signs to show people just who they're helping.