Group warns of plastic threat after dolphin dies

Discarded plastic causing the death of a dolphin might be an ominous portent of things to come, a marine lobby group has warned.

The Irish Whale & Dolphin Group (IWDG) has reported that a thick piece of round, yellow plastic was discovered around the beak of a common dolphin in West Cork.

It appears that the ring had prevented the dolphin from feeding.

Dolphin killed by plastic ring in #Cork http://t.co/VJMJvikUEy#dolphin #westCork #countyCork #ireland

— Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (@IWDGnews) September 1, 2014

IWDG strandings officer Mick O’Connell said that the mammal was seen in a very weak condition near Schull pier last week.

The dolphin stranded and despite the best efforts of some people who tried to help it, it died a short time later.

“This ring led directly to the death of the dolphin. I haven’t seen anything like this before,” Mr O’Connell said.

“This is an indication that we need to find out how much plastic is really out there,” Mr O’Connell said.

He said most of the junk is plastic “which is going to be with us for a very, very long time — and from a marine perspective, most of it floats.”

Waterborne plastic poses a serious threat to fish, seabirds and marine reptiles.

iwdg.ie