Sperm whale found dead on the Spanish coast was killed after swallowing 64lbs of PLASTIC waste including bags, nets, ropes and a jerry can
A sperm whale found dead on the coast of southern Spain was killed by swallowing 29 kilos (64 pounds) of plastic, government officials have confirmed. During an autopsy of the creature, investigators uncovered plastic bags, netting and a jerry can in the whale's digestive system. The death of the marine mammal has prompted authorities to launch a campaign against dumping plastic waste at sea. The body of the young male sperm whale, which was around 10 metres (33 feet) long and weighed more than six tonnes, was discovered washed ashore at Cabo de Palos in Mercia at the end of February. Experts at the region's El Valle Wildlife Rescue Centre, which carried out the procedure, said it had been unable to digest or excrete the plastic it ingested. The official cause of death was peritonitis, an infection of the inner lining of the stomach. Consuelo Rosauro, director-general for the natural environment in the region, told The Telegraph: 'Many animals get trapped in the rubbish