A manta ray was recorded swallowing a plastic bag as it swam in its natural environment at the Raja Ampat in West Papua.
Take a look at these heartbreaking videos …
The area is considered one of the last paradises on earth due to its incredible biological variety of animal species and the breathtaking beauty of its archipelago. It’s known for its limestone karst island clusters, secret lagoons, beautiful beaches, and rich coral reefs.
But now pollution and waste have found their way to the area and the conditions are getting worse.
Plastic has been named the number one killer of marine life. A garbage truck’s worth of plastics enters the ocean every minute and millions of animals die each year due to plastic pollution.
With the production of plastics increasing globally and the levels of recycling at an all-time low, the pollution rate is expected to triple by 2040.
The waste is affecting fish, coral reefs, sea turtles, whales, and countless other species and habitats.
At Karmagawa and SaveTheReef, we have been posting a lot about the dangers of plastic pollution. It hurts our planet and its living creatures more than we know and it happens because of our lifestyles. We need to keep learning so that we can do better and make our world a safer place to live.
Please follow us on Twitter and Instagram so that we can learn and improve together.
Also … please spread our information so that your friends and family are kept aware.
Have them watch this powerful video …
The director of this video, Amir Zakeri, created a masterclass for anyone in the Karmagawa and SaveTheReef community who would like to tell visual stories about the causes they care about. If you’re interested, here’s 50% off.
All proceeds go to great causes, so don’t hesitate. Get started now!
What do you think about the poor marine animals that are put in danger because of plastic pollution? Leave a comment below.
(Cover image: Jag_cz/Shutterstock)