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Marine & Wildlife
Reproductive & Development
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Large amounts of marine debris found in sperm whales stranded along the North Sea coast in early 2016
Marine Pollution Bulletin2016
105 citations
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Score: 50
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M.F. Leopold,
Bianca Unger,
Lonneke L. IJsseldijk,
Bianca Unger,
Bianca Unger,
Bianca Unger,
Bianca Unger,
Bianca Unger,
M.F. Leopold,
Bianca Unger,
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
Helena Herr,
Bianca Unger,
Bianca Unger,
M.F. Leopold,
Bianca Unger,
Ursula Siebert
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
Ursula Siebert
Rob Deaville,
Rob Deaville,
Ursula Siebert
Rob Deaville,
Rob Deaville,
Rob Deaville,
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
Rob Deaville,
Ursula Siebert
Andrea Gröne,
Jérôme Spitz,
Lonneke L. IJsseldijk,
Bianca Unger,
Ursula Siebert
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
M.F. Leopold,
Andrea Gröne,
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
Ursula Siebert
Rob Deaville,
Ursula Siebert
Ursula Siebert
Lonneke L. IJsseldijk,
Lonneke L. IJsseldijk,
Lonneke L. IJsseldijk,
Ursula Siebert
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
Rob Deaville,
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
M.F. Leopold,
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
Bianca Unger,
M.F. Leopold,
M.F. Leopold,
Ursula Siebert
Bianca Unger,
Ursula Siebert
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
Elisa L. Bravo Rebolledo,
Jérôme Spitz,
Ursula Siebert
Ursula Siebert
Peter Wohlsein,
Andrea Gröne,
Helena Herr,
Andrea Gröne,
Bianca Unger,
Ursula Siebert
Summary
Researchers examined 22 of the 30 sperm whales that mass-stranded along the North Sea coast in early 2016 and found marine debris — including fishing nets, ropes, plastic packaging, and a car part — in nine individuals, documenting the extent of large-item debris exposure in an apex marine predator even when ingested items were not the direct cause of death.
30 sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) stranded along the coasts of the North Sea between January and February 2016. The gastro-intestinal tracts of 22 of the carcasses were investigated. Marine debris including netting, ropes, foils, packaging material and a part of a car were found in nine of the 22 individuals. Here we provide details about the findings and consequences for the animals. While none of the items was responsible for the death of the animal, the findings demonstrate the high level of exposure to marine debris and associated risks for large predators, such as the sperm whale.