Published in Current Biology · View the paper (DOI)
Researchers found that sea turtles respond to odors from biofouled plastics in the same way they respond to food odorants. This 'olfactory trap' explains why sea turtles ingest and become entangled in plastic debris. Biofouling, the accumulation of microbes on wet surfaces, is a major factor contributing to this attraction.
Coverage from 2 institutions
- Sea turtles have a deadly attraction to stinky plastic Cell Press · Mar 9, 2020 · first to report
- Why do sea turtles eat ocean plastics? New research points to smell University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Mar 9, 2020