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Sea Turtles Eating Plastic at Record Rates

A new study reveals that sea turtles around the world are eating plastic at an unprecedented pace, with some species consuming twice as much as they did 25 years ago. The problem has exploded lately due to the surge in plastic pollution globally, which is forming giant oceanic garbage patches that are expected to continue growing for centuries. The new study is the first global analysis of the issue since 1985, covering more than a quarter century of research on endangered sea turtles.

Carol Ruckdeschel has long been concerned about plastics in the ocean. In virtually every newsletter she has published for the Cumberland Island Museum over the past three decades, Carol has included photos of balloons, bags,  and other plastics washing ashore. As Carol has often pointed out, plastics can bear a striking resemblance to jellyfish, one of the loggerhead sea turtle’s favorite meals.

Read the full report here.