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A deer was found dead in Khun Sathan National Park in northern Thailand with 15 pounds of plastic in its stomach. The ten-year old animal was found without external wounds by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

An autopsy was performed on the deer. The stomach contained garbage bags, instant coffee packages, rubber gloves, towels, a pair of men’s underwear and condiment packages.

Kriangsak Thanompun, director of the protected region in the Khun Sathan National Park, told AFP news agency that plastic bags were one of the causes of the deer’s death. He said of the issue, “It shows we have to take seriously and reduce … single-use plastic.” He said plastic should be replaced with ” nature-friendly products.” Kriangsak called the deer’s death, “another tragedy.”

A tweet by Department of National Parks shows the insides of the stomach:

Another tragedy in the country that saw a sick baby dugong die of a plastic infection over the summer.  Plastic bags are ubiquitous in Thailand, with people using 3,000 single-use plastic bags annually.

Plastic is becoming a cause of death for many animals around the world. A cow in India was found with excess amounts of plastic in its stomach. Sea turtles in Florida have been found with plastic in their bellies.

Places around the world like Tel Aviv, California, Baltimore, Scotland and many more are banning various single-use plastics and others that are coming up with creative ways to recycle and use plastic waste.

There are products you may be using or habits you may have that contribute to plastic Pollution. Learn more about how the use of Teabags, Cotton Swabs, Laundry, Contact Lenses, Glitter and Sheet Masks pollute our oceans so you can make more informed decisions going forward. There are also numerous simple actions and switches that can help cut plastic out of our lives including, making your own cosmetics, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, household cleaners and using  mason jars, reusable bags/bottles/straws, avoiding microbeads!

To learn more about the impact of plastic waste, please read the articles below: 

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