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First record of plastic debris in the stomach of a hooded seal pup from the Greenland Sea
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This study examined macroplastic ingestion in harp and hooded seals collected from pack ice breeding grounds in the Greenland Sea. Two pieces of single-use plastic were found in the stomach of a weaned hooded seal pup, representing the first recorded instance of macroplastic ingestion in an Arctic true seal and highlighting risks to young marine predators in remote polar environments.
Plastic debris is globally found around the world and the remote Arctic is no exception. Arctic true seals are sentinel species of marine pollution and represent the link between marine food webs and Arctic apex predators like polar bears and humans. With regard to true seals, ingested macroplastics have never been reported in an Arctic species. We harvested 10 harp seals Pagophilus groenlandicus and 8 hooded seals Cystophora cristata from the breeding grounds in the pack ice of the Greenland Sea. The digestive tract was inspected exclusively for the presence of macroplastics (>5 mm). Two pieces of single-use plastic were found in the stomach of a weaned hooded seal pup. This study indicates that young Arctic marine predators may ingest macroplastics, and therefore may be at risk during their early stages of life due to human caused plastic pollution even in the remote Arctic pack ice.
More Papers Like This
Evidence of microplastic ingestion in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) from the Canadian Arctic.
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Researchers examined the stomachs of 30 ringed seals from Arviat and Resolute Bay, Nunavut, finding microplastics in 77% of them. Most particles were tiny fragments or fibers, with no clear link to the seals' sex, age, or size, providing baseline data for future pollution monitoring in the Arctic.
Occurrence of Microplastics in Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina) and Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) from German Waters
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The gastrointestinal tracts of 63 harbour and grey seals from German North Sea and Baltic Sea waters were examined for microplastics, with 540 suspected particles identified in intestinal samples and 228 in stomach samples, predominantly fibers and fragments. No significant correlations were found between microplastic presence and parasite infestation or inflammatory responses, though fragments showed evidence of retention in the gut.
No accumulation of microplastics detected in western Canadian ringed seals (Pusa hispida)
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Researchers examined stomach contents of ten ringed seals (Pusa hispida) harvested from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the western Canadian Arctic and detected no microplastic particles of 80 micrometers or larger, suggesting limited microplastic accumulation in this species despite the Arctic acting as a potential sink for anthropogenic debris.
Understanding the occurrence and fate of microplastics in coastal Arctic ecosystems: The case of surface waters, sediments and walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)
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This holistic study examined microplastics in Arctic surface waters, sediments, and walrus tissues in coastal Svalbard, detecting plastics across all compartments and documenting for the first time microplastic occurrence in walrus gastrointestinal tracts.
Investigating Microplastic Presence Amongst Grey Seals (Halichoerus Grypus) of the North Sea
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Researchers analyzed fecal samples from grey seals in the North Sea and found 71 microplastic particles — mostly fibers and fragments — confirming that wild marine mammals in European waters are ingesting microplastics through their prey. Marine mammals at the top of the food chain can accumulate microplastics from the fish they eat.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.