By Cat DiStasio / Source: Inhabitat

Sea turtles living off the coast of Australia face a growing danger in their own habitat: ocean plastic. The amount of plastic debris in the waters surrounding Australia is growing rapidly and so are the unprecedented numbers of injuries sustained by sea turtles and other ocean creatures. Veterinarians warn that humans should find ways to control the amount of plastic waste before the effects become irreversible.

Ocean plastic is the name for all the plastic junk floating in the ocean, and it’s likely the biggest problem facing sea turtles today. The problem is much bigger than a turtle getting caught up in a plastic bag. Plastics in the ocean become shredded over time into barely visible particles called “microplastics” and these pose the most danger. Animals are consuming microplastics in alarming numbers, and that leads to a variety of internal injuries and illnesses.

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