- Blockage: Litter can physically block an animal's digestive tract, causing starvation or death.
- Injury: Litter can cause internal and external injuries, which can lead to infection and death.
- Toxicities: Litter can leach toxic chemicals into the water, which can poison sea animals.
- Malnutrition: Litter can fill up an animal's stomach, leaving no room for nutritious food.
- Entanglement: Litter can entangle sea animals, making them unable to move or feed, and leading to death.
- Reproductive problems: Litter can interfere with an animal's ability to reproduce.
Some specific examples of how litter has harmed sea animals include:
- Dolphins: Dolphins have been found with stomachs full of plastic bags, fishing nets, and other litter. This can cause blockages, injuries, and toxicities.
- Sea turtles: Sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and eat them. This can cause blockages, injuries, and death.
- Whales: Whales have been found with fishing gear wrapped around their bodies. This can cause entanglement, injuries, and death.
- Other sea animals: Litter can affect other sea animals, including fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, including seals and sea lions. Birds may become entangled in fishing gear, causing injury and/or death.