Plastic Pollution and Fishing Gear: Causes of Whale Deaths

High numbers of whales are being discovered dead along the east coast of the United States, possibly due to various causes./nSperm whales are being found with tons of plastic inside them, indicating the issue of plastic pollution./nThe exact number of whales killed in ship strikes or by ingesting plastic is difficult to determine./nThe commercial fishing industry is also a concern for whale deaths./nAround 300,000 cetaceans, including whales, dolphins, and porpoises, die each year due to entanglement and fishing gear./nAlthough some countries still hunt whales for meat, hunting is responsible for a relatively small number of whale deaths compared to other causes./nMany once endangered species of whale are now considered safe from extinction.