Expert: Turtle's suffering puts spotlight on need to reduce use of plastics

Expert: Turtle's suffering puts spotlight on need to reduce use of plastics

Published August 20, 2015/
EFE

By Maria Jose Brenes.

The plight of an Olive Ridley sea turtle that biologists in Costa Rica rid of a plastic straw stuck in its nose highlights the need to reduce the use of the synthetic material, since 8 million tons of plastics are dumped in the oceans each year, biologist Nathan Robinson told EFE.

Robinson and Christine Figgener, of the Leatherback Trust, posted a video on social media showing biologists using pliers to pull a 15-centimeter (six-inch) straw from the nostrils of a leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).

The pain, blood and a groan emitted by the turtle make for disturbing viewing.
The animal, found in Costa Rica's Pacific waters, was harmed by pollution of its habitat.

"This video is so compelling because it conveys the suffering we are causing," Robinson said. "That sliver of plastic that hardened inside the turtle's nose might have been used by any of us, causing suffering for an innocent turtle."

More:
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2015/08/20/expert-turtle-suffering-puts-spotlight-on-need-to-reduce-use-plastics/

(This story from Fox "News" Latino was taken from Spain's right-wing news service,
E.F.E.)