More than half a million hermit crabs have died after getting stuck in plastic pollution on two remote tropical island groups, according to a new study. Researchers behind the study, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, say that plastic pollution served as “deadly traps” for the crabs. The result? Tons of dead hermit crabs—and bigger picture concerns about ecosystems and tourism. Researchers estimate that around 508,000 hermit crabs in the four Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean died this way, while about 61,000 on Henderson Island in the Pacific Ocean met the same fate.
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Loss of hermit crabs could have a real impact on ecosystems, as hermit crabs fertilize the soil and disperse seeds. Researchers stress the need to have more research on how plastic affects nature and wildlife populations, especially on land. While this study’s focus was on just these two island groups, plastic pollution is a growing problem around the world.
"These results are shocking but perhaps not surprising," lead researcher Jennifer Lavers said. "It is inevitable that these creatures will interact with and be affected by plastic pollution.”
Why is this happening to hermit crabs? As the researchers explain it, hermit crabs ventured into open plastic containers, like a plastic bottle, but were then unable to get themselves out. While researchers discovered that some stuck hermit crabs were still alive, many were dead by the time they were found.
Relatedly, hermit crabs naturally outgrow their shells. When they go searching for a new one, they may find themselves stuck in a plastic bottle instead. Another dimension here is that crabs naturally follow an odor that reveals a newly dead crab, in hope that it can claim the dead crab’s shell. Unfortunately, this natural instinct leads to more than one hermit crab trapped in the same plastic.
"Essentially it is this gruesome chain reaction," said co-author Dr. Alex Bond. He added that the problem is "quite insidious."
“Gruesome” is a great way to describe the result of plastic pollution on environments. Countless studies confirm that pollution is already harming the planet. For example, researchers found seven times more microplastic than fish in fish nurseries, a beached sperm whale had 220 pounds of trash in its stomach, and the majority of U.S. “recycled” materials end up burned or tossed into landfills, according to a new investigation.