Leatherback turtles: The menace of plastic
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. Macmillan: London. ISSN 0025-326X; e-ISSN 1879-3363, more
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| Author keywords |
Conservation; Food intake; Jellyfish; Leatherback; Plastic; Sea turtle |
| Authors | | Top |
- Mrosovsky, N.
- Ryan, G.D.
- James, M.C.
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| Abstract |
The leatherback, Dermochelys coriacea, is a large sea turtle that feeds primarily on jellyfish. Floating plastic garbage could be mistaken for such prey. Autopsy records of 408 leatherback turtles, spanning 123 years (1885-2007), were studied for the presence or absence of plastic in the GI tract. Plastic was reported in 34% of these cases. If only cases from our first report (1968) of plastic were considered, the figure was 37%. Blockage of the gut by plastic was mentioned in some accounts. These findings are discussed in the context of removal of top predators from poorly understood food chains. |
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