Why are Ocean Plastics a Problem for Manta Rays?

Is ocean pollution getting worse?

Until the 1970s, people often dumped toxic waste into the ocean, thinking its huge size would spread out and weaken the harmful substances. But because we've been creating new types of chemicals and long-lasting materials like plastic, this problem has grown much worse for future generations.

Plastic - The Unwanted Guest

Unfortunately, parts of the ocean are now full of plastic trash like water bottles, plastic bags, and candy wrappers. The MMF team have collected trash that’s been floating around since the 90s - a grim reminder of how long plastic sticks around.

Manta Rays - The Unlucky Diners

Manta rays eat by filtering their food from the water, kind of like using a net to catch fish. The problem is, when there's a lot of tiny bits of plastic mixed in with their food, they can't avoid swallowing some. Our researchers estimate that at one particular site, a manta ray could swallow about 63 bits of plastic every hour during the rainy season.

The Hidden Danger - Plastic Inside

Even tiny pieces of plastic can cause big problems for manta rays. The plastic can hold onto nasty chemicals from the environment and release them into the manta rays' bodies once swallowed. Plus, many plastics come with harmful additives, like flame retardants, which can build up in the rays' bodies over time. When a manta consumes plastic, a concern is that they can feel full, even though only 52% of their stomach contents is food, leading to malnutrition.

The Domino Effect - What Happens Next?

Reef manta rays are already having a tough time because of humans. Adding plastic ingestion to their troubles can cause even more harm. Although swallowing plastic may not always kill them, the chemicals can mess with their growth and reproduction. Some of these harmful chemicals could even be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy.

Cleaning Up Our Act

Awareness is growing and people are starting to change their habits, like using less single-use plastic. But, it's not just up to us individuals. Big companies need to step up too and reduce the amount of plastic they produce. While cleaning up the environment is great, the best solution is to not make this waste in the first place.