Donkeys play an essential role on the Kenyan island of Lamu, but plastic pollution is threatening the creatures and impacting the residents who rely on them.
What's happening?
As detailed by the Guardian, Lamu residents depend on the island's nearly 3,000 donkeys as part of their livelihoods, including for transportation.
Sadly, plastic pollution is "fast becoming a crisis for donkey welfare," according to Donkey Sanctuary lead veterinarian Dr. Obadiah Sing'Oei, who told the publication that "if you ask any donkey owner in Lamu, they will tell you they have lost a donkey to colic from plastic."
After one resident urgently brought their baby donkey to the Donkey Sanctuary for treatment, the vets gave it laxatives and later discovered nearly one foot of knotted plastic in its feces.
"The donkeys will eat all sorts of things, from plastics to clothes to cartons — everything," Dr. Sing'Oei explained to the Guardian, which noted the island has limited grass for the animals to graze on. "This brings a lot of issues … nutritional colic in donkeys is usually fatal."
Why is this important?
As a new study from the University of Portsmouth notes, the devastating effects of plastic pollution on marine systems have been extensively studied, but the impacts on land animals and domestic livestock have been less frequently analyzed. However, it is clear that plastic waste isn't doing the environment or local economies any favors.
"From previous discussions with the community, we know there is growing concern about the links between plastic pollution, ecosystem health, animal welfare and human well-being," Dr. Emily Haddy said in a press release by the university.
According to the U.N. Environment Programme, plastic production and waste generation have grown significantly since the 1970s. In the early 2000s, the amount of plastic waste in a 10-year span rose more than it had at any point over the previous four decades.
A staggering 85% of that toxic waste — which can take hundreds of years to break down — eventually sits in landfills or ends up as litter, polluting our communities.
"I am really concerned about the plastics," Hufeidha Abdul Majid, a Lamu resident who lost a donkey to colic earlier this year, told the Guardian. "Before, blockages were caused by organic material, so we could handle that, but that's not the case now."
What can be done about plastic pollution?
Sing'Oei believes that the analysis from researchers at Portsmouth will provide valuable insights to help improve conditions for the donkeys on Lamu.
"In our clinic we see firsthand the devastating impact plastic pollution is having … It's incredibly distressing for the donkeys and their owners too," Sing'Oei said in the university release. "We are pleased that, with the help of researchers from Portsmouth, we will be able to highlight this worrying issue and support the development of community-based solutions to the problem."
Scientists around the world are also working on solutions to the plastic crisis. For example, microbiologists at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research have found a fungus that may serve as a natural method of breaking down the most common type of ocean plastic waste.
You can support those efforts by reducing your consumption of single-use plastics like grocery bags and water bottles. There are also plenty of plastic-free alternatives for everyday products, from shampoo bars that give you more bang for your buck to long-lasting metal razors.
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