Effects of Pollution on Seals

There have been a lot of seal casualties because of the effects of pollution, especially marine pollution, for a long time now. Marine pollution is a serious threat to the health of our oceans and coasts, and its effect on the creatures that live in these areas cannot be ignored. Seals are also vulnerable to these pollutants, which can be anything from oil spills, plastic litter, chemical spills, and abandoned fishing nets to bottles and cans.

Oil Spills

• Seals are victims of marine pollution.

  Oil spills are responsible for a considerable amount of marine pollution. Oil spills have resulted in mortality among ocean and coastal animals, including seals. High pup mortality can be seen in areas of oil spills as opposed to other areas with no pollution. The oil coating the surface of the water makes it difficult for the seals to feed, and when they surface to feed, they also ingest the oil with the fish. Hydrocarbons and other chemicals usually evaporate from the surface of an oil slick within the first few days, and this effect causes difficulty in breathing, eye irritation, and lung irritation. Oil also reduces the capacity of the seal's coat to insulate it from the cold, thereby putting it at risk of hypothermia.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

• Oil spills are major marine contaminants.

  Persistent organic pollutants are man-made chemicals like furans, dioxins, and pesticides. Persistent organic pollutants weaken the immune system of the seals, thereby making them more susceptible to diseases. They are endocrine disruptors that interfere with the growth hormone in organisms and cause the dysfunction of immune systems, which causes sexual and reproductive abnormalities and also leads to developmental issues. Persistent organic pollutants have been found in the blubber of seals. Dioxins are chemicals that cause cancer in both human beings and animals. Mercury is another pollutant harmful to seals. Mercury pollution can occur as a result of a natural event, like a volcanic eruption or a man-made event. Mercury attacks T-lymphocytes, which are crucial cells in a seal's immune system.

Debris

• Debris can also harm seals.

  Another pollutant that has an adverse effect on seals is debris. Debris can come in the form of plastic, cans, and other waste thrown overboard from ships. Abandoned fishing nets are especially dangerous because seals get all tangled up inside them, with the lines cutting into their skin, and can survive for weeks in this condition before they eventually die. Seals have also been found with fishing hooks lodged inside their throats. Fur seals are especially prone to danger because they are very playful creatures.