Plastic Pollution Kills Elephant In India, Highlighting Extent Of Environmental Crisis

Did you know? Every year, humans throw away enough plastic to circle the globe four times. That’s a lot of waste, right? Unfortunately, much of that plastic makes its way to the oceans. There, it either contaminates waterways or chokes — and sometimes kills — wildlife.

The reality is a sad one. Unfortunately, little is being done to change it. Perhaps if people were informed about a recent development, one involving an elephant in Asia, they would take steps to reduce their use and dependence of the non-biodegradable substance.

In early January, a 20-year-old elephant was found approximately one kilometer away from a sewage treatment plant near Valiyanavattom, in India. The post-mortem examination of the carcass revealed that the pachyderm died after eating plastic. The tough material blocked its alimentary canal, resulting in internal bleeding and failure of the vital organs.



Though this is the first documented case of an elephant dying due to plastic ingestion since a ban of the material was passed in 2016, it is not uncommon for wildlife officials to find plastic in the mammals’ dung. This signifies that the crisis is worse than many imagined.

To read the full article, click on the story title