Whales Have Been Spotted Swimming in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch for the First Time

While conducting research for the Ocean Cleanup’s Aerial Expedition, scientists spotted whales swimming through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch for the first time.

In a new study published in the journal Marine Biodiversity, researchers shared their findings from the survey and documented the sightings.

“It is well known that ocean plastics pose a threat to marine mammals, with many cases of entanglement and ingestion interactions being recorded worldwide,” they wrote. “Here, we describe the first cetacean sightings made within the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch.”

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