IDENTIFICATION CARD

Name: Lucy Rebelmore

Height: 53 ft.

Weight: 29 tons

Address: 6 Aotearoa Avenue

Pollution Threat: all plastic

Favorite Activity: surfing

Favorite Food: fried plankton

Humpback Whale

Scientific name: Megaptera novaeangliae

Habitat: North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Indian Ocean

Diet: Krill

Lifespan: up to 100 years

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Threats from Ocean Plastics

Whales and dolphins often mistake plastic for food, especially larger plastic objects like bags, bottles and cups, and can end up dying as a result. Humpback whales eat primarily krill and plankton. When they feed, they swallow large mouthfuls, filtering their food from the water. Unfortunately, with so much plastic in our ocean (5-13 million tons enter the ocean each year), whales often have a hard time distinguishing plastic from food. Plastic isn’t whale food, but it’s quickly becoming their main meal. Hopefully, it won't be their last.

Fun Fact

Humpback whales are underwater composers! Listen to a humpback whale song.

Learn more about whales

IDENTIFICATION CARD

Name: Kai Kalani

Height: 31 in.

Weight: 8.7 lbs.

Address: 22 1/2 Mokopuni Boulevard

Pollution Threat: plastic straws

Favorite Activity: sunbathing

Favorite Food: fish tacos

Laysan Albatross

Scientific name: Phoebastria immutabilis

Habitat: Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Diet: squid, octopus, fish, crustaceans

Lifespan: 50+ years

Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Threats from Ocean Plastics

Albatrosses and other seabirds often consume plastic, especially small floating fragments. They spend most of their lives on the ocean, so when they get hungry, they just dip their beaks into the water, skimming the surface, scooping up squid, octopus, fish…and plastic. Plastic pieces can get stuck in their throats, slowly poison them, and damage their digestive systems. They often end up feeding plastic to their young by mistake, which ends up killing them. Plastic isn’t bird food, but it’s quickly becoming their main meal. Hopefully, it won’t be their last.

Fun Fact

Albatrosses can soar in the sky for six days without flapping their wings!

Learn more about seabirds

IDENTIFICATION CARD

Name: Pete Otary

Height: 8 ft.

Weight: 750 lbs.

Address: 1832 Mar Bermejo Road, Apt. #4

Pollution Threat: plastic strapping

Favorite Activity: building sandcastles

Favorite Food: fish burger

California Sea Lion

Scientific name: Zalophus californianus

Habitat: Southeast Alaska to Central Mexico

Diet: squid and fish

Lifespan: up to 20 years

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Threats from Ocean Plastics

Plastic in the ocean poses multiple threats to sea lions. They can become entangled in plastic packing bands, plastic bags, and fishing nets. Additionally, more plastic in the ocean has caused an increase in the frequency of algal blooms, which release a neurotoxin that harms and can even kill sea lions. Sea lions often inadvertently ingest plastic, especially food wrappers and six-pack rings, causing damage to their digestive systems and death. Plastic isn’t sea lion food, but it’s quickly becoming their main meal. Hopefully, it won’t be their last.

Fun Fact

Sea lions have whiskers that can detect prey underwater, even in total darkness!

Learn more about sea lions

IDENTIFICATION CARD

Name: Terra Turtleson-Shelle

Height: 5 ft.

Weight: 227 lbs.

Address: 462 Galápagos Circle

Pollution Threat: plastic bags

Favorite Activity: kite flying

Favorite Food: seagrass sandwich

Green Sea Turtle

Scientific name: Chelonia mydas

Habitat: Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean, beaches

Diet: jellyfish, crab (juvenile); seagrass, algae (adult)

Lifespan: 80+ years

Conservation Status: Endangered

Threats from Ocean Plastics

Green sea turtles can become entangled in netting and plastic, which can warp and stunt their growth. Global warming has caused many sea turtle eggs to become female, threatening the longevity of the species. They often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, and once they’ve eaten them, the plastic can block their digestive system causing disability and death. Plastic isn’t sea turtle food, but it’s quickly becoming their main meal. Hopefully, it won’t be their last.

Fun Fact

Green sea turtles change their diets as they age! Young turtles will eat almost anything, whereas fully mature turtles are strictly herbivores.

Learn more about sea turtles

IDENTIFICATION CARD

Name: Santiago Pescado

Height: 7.6 in.

Weight: 6 oz.

Address: 88 Cabo San Lucas, Apt. #5

Pollution Threat: microplastics

Favorite Activity: skateboarding

Favorite Food: zooplankton stew

Panamic Sergeant Major

Scientific name: Abudefduf troschelii

Habitat: Reefs in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans near Mexico

Diet: plankton, algae, small crustaceans

Lifespan: unknown

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Threats from Ocean Plastics

The primary threat to fish like the Panamic Sergeant Major is microplastics. Fish ingest tiny plastic fragments and synthetic fibers thinking they are food. Not only do ocean fish consume plastic as food, but the smallest of particles enter their gills, and as a result, the plastic can take up to six times as long to exit their bodies. Plastic isn’t fish food, but it’s quickly becoming their main meal. Hopefully, it won’t be their last.

Fun Fact

Male Sergeant Major fish guard eggs for about a week and turn blue while they wait for them to hatch!

Learn more about ocean fish