A small piece of human trash causes tears in a turtle's eye

Each morning, as we sip our coffee and scroll through the news, we’re bombarded with the disturbing realities of our world. Today’s story, emerging from the ocean’s depths, is a stark reminder of this truth: sea turtle with a straw.

In the realm of heart-wrenching news, marine biologists Nathan Robinson and Chris Figgener’s recent encounter off Costa Rica’s coast is particularly poignant. While studying mating sea turtles, they stumbled upon a crisis—a turtle in distress, its struggle brought about by a seemingly insignificant human artifact.

Robinson, initially mistaking a peculiar object on the turtle for a tube worm, soon faced a jarring reality: it was a plastic straw deeply embedded in the animal’s nostril. He described the turtle’s labored breathing to The Dodo and highlighted its distress.

The faded, worn straw indicated it likely had been there for a while. The researchers painstakingly removed it, revealing the alarming impact of such carelessly discarded items. Fortunately, after the extraction and necessary medical care, the turtle was ready to return to its habitat.

Robinson couldn’t answer the one question: How did that plastic end up in these waters? He underscores a broader environmental concern. This distressing video, while unpleasant, serves as a powerful call to action, illustrating the far-reaching consequences of human waste on marine life.

Through his extensive research, Robinson has seen the catastrophic effects of human debris on oceanic wildlife. Each incident, from turtles caught in ghost nets to seabirds entangled in plastic, underlines an urgent need for change.

This incident, though small, signifies a larger environmental crisis. Echoing Robinson’s plea, we must collectively reject single-use plastics and protect our marine life.

Say no to single-use plastics!