It turns out that hatchlings often consume microplastics in the ocean.
The cute hatchlings are reported to have struggled to survive in the ocean. Where, microplastic waste is often mistaken for food and makes them die quickly. Launching from ABC News, there is an international study which found that hatchlings that hatch are at risk for eating microplastics. This can lead to early death and organ damage.
From an 18-month study, it is known that hatchlings that consume microplastics can be affected by malnutrition, organ damage and shortness of breath. Researchers from the Australian and British Universities also involved 120 turtles around the world, including those that were stranded and accidentally caught fishing nets.
Mark Hamman, a marine biology professor at Queensland's James Cook University, said the study found young sea turtles were more likely to eat microplastics while swimming in waters such as the East Australian Current. Seeing that, he gave his comment.
"When they return from shore in Australia to lay their eggs, they quickly swim into the offshore current," he wrote.
"When they're in the stream, they eat anything they can eat, what looks and smells like food," he explains.
Turtles generally prey on jellyfish and plankton. In the oceans, floating plastic debris is similar to jellyfish. A turtle in the Pacific Ocean eats at least 144 pieces of plastic. This research, which took place at Frontiers Marine Science, found that almost all sea turtles are plastic.
"This plastic is exposed to UV rays or torn by waves, and the turtles will splinter," he said.
"Microplastics are usually five centimeters in size and often it's not known what they are made of," he continued.
"Removing plastic when it is already in nature is difficult. We can clean the beach and create a system to clean the ocean from plastic, but this activity is time consuming and very expensive," he said.
Sea turtles are more likely to eat microplastics while swimming in waters such as the East Australian Current.