A small piece of plastic — no larger than a baseball — can be enough to kill an adult Florida manatee, according to new findings from Ocean Conservancy. The organization is sounding the alarm as plastic pollution continues to harm and kill marine wildlife across Florida’s waterways.
Ocean Conservancy reports that manatees, sea turtles, seabirds, dolphins and whales are ingesting plastic at alarming rates, often with fatal consequences. Nearly one in six Florida manatees examined after death were found to have plastic in their digestive systems, and one in 25 died directly because of it.
Sea turtles are especially vulnerable. According to the organization’s research, nearly 70 percent of loggerhead sea turtles ingest plastic during their lifetimes. Even more concerning, just a teaspoon of plastic can be fatal to a newly hatched green sea turtle, whose digestive system can easily become blocked.
“These animals aren’t just encountering plastic — they’re mistaking it for food,” said Jon Paul ‘JP’ Brooker, Ocean Conservancy’s director of Florida conservation. “Once ingested, it can cause starvation, internal injuries or death.”
Dr. Erin Murphy, Ocean Conservancy’s manager of ocean plastics research and lead author of the study, emphasized that plastic pollution remains a preventable threat.
“The science is clear,” Dr. Murphy said. “Plastic pollution is killing wildlife, but proven solutions exist to stop it at the source.”
Ocean Conservancy released the full findings of its research on February 12, along with recommendations for state and local leaders to reduce plastic pollution and protect Florida’s most vulnerable marine species. The organization said policy changes, improved waste management and community action can significantly reduce plastic entering waterways.
Local waterways, including areas such as Apollo Beach Preserve, are critical habitats for manatees and other marine life and are directly impacted by plastic debris from land-based sources.
For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has worked to deliver science-based solutions to protect the ocean and the people and wildlife that depend on it. Through research, policy advocacy and public engagement, the organization continues to address plastic pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss.
Experts warn that without immediate action, plastic pollution will continue to take a deadly toll on Florida’s iconic marine animals — a loss that is both tragic and avoidable.
Apollo Beach Preserve is located at 6760 Surfside Blvd. in Apollo Beach.
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