Red phalaropes 6 of 7 birds contained plastic particles, most of which were PE pellets. Plastic ingestion may be producing physiological effects that threaten successful migration and breeding in regions remote from the pollution sources. Loggerhead, green, hawksbill, and Kemp's ridley turtles. Green turtle PE spherules in mouth of stranded, dead sea turtle. Hawksbill turtles PS pellets and other manmade materials in stomachs.
Marine turtles eat a wide variety of synthetic material, including pellets.
Effects of toxic chemicals released by these materials and physical obstruction of the digestive tracts are two possible adverse impacts. Loggerhead turtles Pellets, crude oil, and tarballs apparently are ingested and excreted. Flounder and polychaetes Ingestions by flounder. Polychaetes incorporate pellets into dwelling tubes. Lobster and winter flounder Low numbers of pellets ingested, and more common in lobsters than in winter flounder.