The Garbage Patch 1 | Page 9

7

AffecTs on Sea Turtles

but it never breaks down so the animal never thinks it is hungry, leading it to starvation.

Sea Turtles are the biggest victim when it comes to plastic pollution in the ocean. Not only are sea turtles on the Endangered Species List, but they are also very sensitive to their surroundings. The biggest concern for sea turtles is their appetite, the main food they eat is jellyfish, which by the sea turtles is commonly mistaken by plastic bags. Underwater plastic bags have the same effect of a jelly fish, they float in the same pattern and share the same transparency, which fools the sea turtles into eating them. Why it is so bad is that when the plastic bags get into the turtles they do not breakdown, which makes the turtle thinks it is not hungry leading to starvation.

Another reason plastic is very dangerous to seas turtles is how it can deform them. Deformation in sea turtles was not common or even heard of until plastic. The plastic rings around water bottles, Gatorade bottles, plastic from a six pack, or even rubber bands wrap around the shell of the sea turtle when it is young, and keeps growing but where the plastic is, is deformed and small cause the look of a waist on the turtle. This look causes digestive problems and fertilization problems in the turtle.

EMMA SEBASTIAN