The sight of a sea turtle entangled in marine debris is all too familiar for people such as Mechergui Ala.
The avid spear fisherman was out on a boat when he noticed a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle struggling to swim, News18 reported. It was weighed down by a large, tangled net, which had gotten wrapped around the turtle's head and flippers.
Death by plastic
— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) August 16, 2024
Thank you @mecherguiala for saving this precious turtle #stopplasticpollution pic.twitter.com/j77kxSCbHz
Fortunately, Ala didn't hesitate. He grabbed the turtle from the water, pulled it onto the boat, and began expertly removing the net with a knife, working carefully to avoid endangering the turtle. After just two minutes, the turtle was net-free, and Ala gently lowered it back into the water.
An Indian government official with Tamil Nadu's health department, Supriya Sahu (@supriyasahuias), posted a video of the rescue on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Death by plastic," she wrote. "Thank you Mechergui Ala for saving this precious turtle."
The video garnered strong emotional reactions from viewers as well.
"So sad," one person said. "For each marine animal saved there [will be] 1000s which will die a slow and painful death, due to abandoned plastics, nets etc."
Another echoed their sentiments, calling it "very sad."
Others pointed out that while the turtle was rescued by a human, it was humans who endangered it in the first place.
"Absolutely heartbreaking!" one person wrote. "... It's HIGH TIME we take action to control ocean-bound plastics!"
"How on Earth, human beings are throwing plastics in the ocean so carelessly, very well knowing that it's a very wrong thing to do," another lamented. "The marine living beings are getting entangled in these plastics and some consume these plastics unknowingly."
In fact, the level of plastic pollution on Earth is such that most living creatures — including turtles and humans — are consuming plastic unknowingly.
When plastic breaks down, it doesn't cease to exist; it simply gets smaller. And these infinitesimally small pieces of plastic, called microplastics, are everywhere.
Forbes reported that microplastics have not only been found in food, water, and air but also inside human bodies, where they lurk in bloodstreams and internal organs. The health impacts of their presence are still being studied, but so far they have been linked to increased risks of neurotoxicity, reproductive issues, cancer, and altered metabolism, per the Yonsei Medical Journal.
And while we're still learning exactly how harmful microplastics are, the dangers of larger marine debris is all too clear. Sea turtles aren't the only victims of old fishing nets; they're a top killer of aquatic birds, and they've been known to ensnare larger species, including rays, sharks, dolphins, and whales.
Fortunately, many people and groups, including Ala, are working to clean up the oceans, ban pollutive fishing practices, and encourage people to consume less plastic for a cleaner, safer future.
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