Animal Lovers

A young, male sperm whale washed ashore on the Murcian coast in southern Spain at the end of February. Now, an autopsy has revealed the unlucky animal died from gastric shock after swallowing 29 kilograms (64 pounds) of plastic debris. Human junk including pieces of ropes, nets, plastic bags, raffia sacks, and a plastic jerry can were found in the whale's stomach and intestines, regional authorities announced on Friday. Experts at the El Valle Wildlife Rescue Centre believe the 10-meter (33 feet), 6-tonne (6.6 tons) giant died after developing an inflammation of the inner walls of the abdomen (peritonitis), usually triggered by a bacterial or fungal infection. This, they say, was likely the result of the massive amounts of undigested plastic in its body. Why go #plasticfree ? THIS ~> Sperm whale found dead on the coast of Murcia in southern Spain was killed by gastric shock caused by ingesting 29 kilos (64 lb) of plastic waste https://t.co/fM0PoO3e0Q — Blue Planet Soc...

A Pacific white-sided dolphin performs at SeaWorld San Antonio. FLICKR/NAN PALMERO Yet another marine mammal has died at SeaWorld. The entertainment park announced on Saturday that Dart, a 12-year-old Pacific white-sided dolphin, had passed away at SeaWorld San Antonio. He was the fifth known marine mammal to pass away at a SeaWorld park in the past eight months. While the cause of Dart's death is not yet known, SeaWorld said he had been under veterinary care for "health-related issues." Pacific white-sided dolphins usually live to be roughly 36 to 40 years old . SeaWorld also said that one of Dart's companions, Betty, a 37-year-old wild-caught Pacific white-sided dolphin and the oldest of the park, was under "24-hour veterinary care for indications of inflammation or a possible infection." SeaWorld's treatment of its dolphins has previously come under scrutiny. Back in August, Dr. Heather Rally, a marine mammal veterinarian who works with PETA, wit...