From macaques to crabs: Face masks pose a threat to animals
12 Jan 2021
Gulf Today Report
Masks that helped save lives during the coronavirus pandemic are proving a deadly hazard for wildlife, with birds and marine creatures ensnared in the staggering number of discarded facial coverings littering animal habitats.
Single-use surgical masks have been found scattered around pavements, waterways and beaches worldwide since countries began mandating their use in public places to slow the pandemic s spread.
Worn once, the thin protective materials can take hundreds of years to decompose.
Dead grey cranes at the Askania-Nova. AFP Face masks aren t going away any time soon but when we throw them away, these items can harm the environment and the animals who share our planet, Ashley Fruno of animal rights group PETA said.
Masks that helped save lives during the coronavirus pandemic are proving a deadly hazard for wildlife, with birds and marine creatures ensnared in the staggering number of discarded facial coverings littering animal habitats. Single-use surgical masks have been found scattered around pavements, waterways and beaches worldwide since countries began mandating their use in public places to slow the pandemic s spread. Worn once, the thin protective materials can take hundreds of years to decompose.
Masks that helped save lives during the coronavirus pandemic are proving a deadly hazard for wildlife, with birds and marine creatures ensnared in the.