Swans Building a Nest Out of Garbage Collected From Canal Water Reflects The Damage Humans Have Done

Human-caused environmental damage has increased to the extent that animals are now adapting to it. A couple of swans were captured building a nest with garbage which made the internet think about the adverse effects of garbage pollution in water bodies. In the Facebook video shared in April 2019 by John Oberg, the mother swan was seen picking trash from her surroundings while nestled on a pile of garbage. 

“This swan’s nest is made out of pure garbage,” the post’s caption declared. The swan pulled through pieces of plastic to surround herself with in an attempt to protect her eggs. The garbage pile mostly comprised of tin cans, bits of plastic wrap, packaging, and miscellaneous trash elements. The mother swan was seated with another swan on a wooden log gloating on a water body. Moments later, the brooding swan briefly got up on her feet to adjust the eggs on the garbage nest. Fair to say, the swan was evidently uncomfortable and struggled to sit comfortably while ensuring her eggs were safe on the pile of junk. The tragic scene was a testament to the detriment humans have brought upon nature and its creatures. 

Meanwhile, the internet was shocked by the plight of the swans and shared their thoughts under the viral post. “Oh my god really sad to see this. We must stop usages of plastic to keep lovely birds for future generations. Think wise and protect our Mother Nature. Our Friends,” one person (Abirami Shivam) wrote. While another netizen (Gene Geroche) quite insensitively joked, “That’s awesome, animals are recycling!” “I am hopeful that one day all the packaging for our vegan foods and produce will be more thoughtful and not contribute to so much plastic waste too,” another person (Mylie Thompson) hopefully shared. 

A third Facebook user (Elicia Amber Baca) was heartbroken and warned that there “is no planet B.” They expressed hope that the human race would reverse the damage done before it was too late. About one million seabirds and over 100,000 marine mammals die of plastic debris in water bodies, as estimated in a report by Ocean Blue Project. Sea turtles are one of the most affected marine animals because they often mistake floating plastic garbage for food, per a Biological Diversity report. As a result, they choke or sustain injuries which increases their mortality rates. Research indicated that half of sea turtles worldwide have ingested plastic. A majority of marine creatures cannot differentiate between food and plastic garbage dumped into the ocean, per Condor Ferries. 

Sea birds like Albatrosses mistake plastics to be fish eggs and end up feeding the pollutants to their chicks. This leads their offspring to death due to starvation or organ failure. In other news, the term ‘ghost fishing’ refers to a phenomenon where multiple seals drown in discarded fishing nets weighing about 705,000 tons. Plastic was first invented by Leo Baekland in 1907. Bakelite was the first fully synthetic plastic created to meet the demands of a rapidly electrifying United States, per a Science History report. Just a quick glance around our environment easily indicates the significant impact plastics have had on human society but it’s time to reverse the damage by using alternatives and recycling. 

You can follow John Oberg on Facebook for more pro-animal videos.