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02 June 2018
Off the southern coast of Thailand, a pilot whale has died from swallowing over 80 plastic bags.
The country is one of the largest consumers in the world of pollutants and 'indestructible' bags, often fatal to wild animals and a source of very serious pollution.
The little pilot whale was found dying in a canal near the Malaysian border, the marine resources department explained on Facebook.
A team of veterinarians tried to "stabilize" him, but "eventually" the animal died, the post reads.
The autopsy revealed that there were 80 plastic bags weighing 8 kilograms in the cetacean's stomach.
During the rescue attempt, the pilot whale had thrown up five bags.
Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine biologist and researcher at the University of the University, explained that the mass of plastic made it impossible for the cetacean to feed: "If you have 80 plastic bags in your stomach, you die."
At least 300 marine animals, including pilot whales, dolphins and turtles, die in Thai waters every year from ingesting plastics abandoned in the wild, he said.
"It's a huge problem, we use a lot of plastic," he added.