The startling discovery of 35kg of plastic inside the stomach of a cow has prompted researchers at the University of Portsmouth to explore how plastic pollution impacts land animals.
In a bid to shed more light on the issue, scientists from the university have teamed up with international animal welfare charity The Donkey Sanctuary to investigate the effects of plastic pollution on land-based animals. The study will focus specifically on donkeys and livestock in Kenya, which are lifelines for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
The initiative is taking place on Lamu Island in Kenya, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where subsistence farming is prevalent.
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“The problem of plastic pollution is escalating and we need to understand its impact on the animals that are integral to communities in the Global South,” said Dr Leanne Proops, Project Lead and Associate Professor in Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Portsmouth.
The team have begun to study the foraging behaviours of donkeys and cattle in Lamu and will analyse the levels of plastic ingested by donkeys to fully understand the scale of the problem.
A large-scale survey, conducted by the Lamu-based The Flipflopi Project, has been carried out to investigate community knowledge, attitudes and behaviours with regard to donkey and livestock welfare and plastic pollution.
“From previous discussions with the community, we know there is growing concern about the links between plastic pollution, ecosystem health, animal welfare and human wellbeing,” said Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Portsmouth Dr Emily Haddy, who will be heading community focus groups at Lamu.
“However, the picture is complex, livestock owners often cannot afford to feed their animals and through necessity let their animals loose to graze. We hope that by holding these community focus groups we can understand more about the issues for everyone involved.”
Impact of plastics on livestock
The impact of donkeys, cows and other livestock eating plastics can range from loss of body condition and disease to blockages in the digestive tract, resulting in colic, starvation and death. Plastic can also be ingested as microplastics via the soil and plants animals consume.
The Donkey Sanctuary have a clinic for chronic and acute donkey health in Lamu. Dr Obadiah Sing’Oei, Lamu Clinic Team Lead and Lead Vet, said: “In our clinic we see firsthand the devastating impact plastic pollution is having on donkeys, as we encounter many cases of colic and blockages caused by ingesting plastics. It’s incredibly distressing for the donkeys and their owners too. We are pleased that, with the help of researchers from Portsmouth, we will be able to highlight this worrying issue and support the development of community-based solutions to the problem.”
Creative methods for tackling plastic pollution
Using what is learnt from the focus groups with the community, an important part of the project will be collaborating with the Lamu Arts and Theatre Alliance to develop arts-based initiatives that raise awareness of the risk to donkey welfare in Lamu.
At the end of November 2023, a performance at the Lamu Cultural Festival will serve as an educational tool, highlighting the issue of plastic pollution on livestock.
The University of Portsmouth has used creative methods to bring about community behavioural change before.
“Arts-based initiatives, visual art, storytelling and performance in particular, have wide general appeal, breaking down barriers, and often reaching a large number of sometimes difficult to reach communities,” said Dr Cressida Bowyer, Project Collaborator and Deputy Director of the Revolution Plastics research initiative at the University, an expert in the use of creative methods.
“Using such socially and culturally relevant approaches can stimulate debate and create lasting change. Working closely with local communities and organisations to design and deliver the project helps to ensure that the research empowers and benefits the local community.”