The whale found in Thailand had 80 plastic bags in its stomach.Suggest reasons why the whale slowly starved to death, drawing on what you know about the importance of energy for living things.
Question
The whale found in Thailand had 80 plastic bags in its stomach.Suggest reasons why the whale slowly starved to death, drawing on what you know about the importance of energy for living things.
Solution
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Ingestion of Plastic: The whale had ingested 80 plastic bags. These bags are not digestible and thus, they remained in the whale's stomach. This could have caused a physical blockage in the digestive tract, preventing the whale from properly digesting food.
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Lack of Nutrient Absorption: Even if the whale was able to consume food, the presence of the plastic bags in its stomach could have prevented the proper absorption of nutrients from the food. This is because the plastic bags could have coated the lining of the stomach and intestines, preventing the digestive enzymes from breaking down the food and the nutrients from being absorbed into the bloodstream.
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Energy Deprivation: All living organisms, including whales, need energy to survive. This energy is typically obtained from the food they eat. In the case of the whale, because it was unable to properly digest and absorb nutrients from its food due to the plastic bags, it would have been deprived of this essential energy. Over time, this energy deprivation would have led to the whale's body using up its stored energy reserves, leading to starvation.
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Internal Injuries: The plastic bags could have also caused internal injuries or infections in the whale's digestive tract. This could have further exacerbated the whale's condition, leading to a faster depletion of its energy reserves and ultimately, starvation.
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Stress and Disease: The physical discomfort and stress caused by the plastic bags could have weakened the whale's immune system, making it more susceptible to diseases. This could have further depleted the whale's energy reserves, contributing to its starvation.
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