Horror as whale dies after eating 5st of plastic including carrier bags and fishing nets before washing up on beach
The 32-foot-long male was found on a beach on the Spanish coast in February
A MASSIVE sperm whale found washed up on the Spanish coast was killed after eating five stone of plastic.
The 32-foot-long male had swallowed plastic bags, fishing nets, old ropes and even an old jerry can.
It was found washed up on a beach at Cabo de Palos in Murcia in February.
Experts at the El Valle Wildlife Rescue Center, who analysed the remains, said the creature died because its digestive system became blocked by the plastics.
This caused it to develop peritonitis, an infection of the abdomen.
Consuelo Rosauro, Murcia’s regional government’s director-general for the natural environment, warned plastic being dumped in oceans was a growing problem.
She said: "The presence of plastics in seas and oceans is one of the greatest threats to the conservation of wildlife throughout the world, since many animals are trapped in the trash or ingest large amounts of plastics that end up causing their death.
"The region of Murcia is no stranger to this problem, which we must tackle through clean-up actions and, above all, citizen awareness."
most read in news
Ms Rosauro announced her government had launched a campaign to reduce the amount of waste in oceans.
It’s being backed by the European Fund for Regional Development and the European Environmental Association.
It is estimated plastic waste weighing a staggering 19 billion pounds is released into oceans each year, with the problem set to continue if nothing is done about it.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.