Image Source: Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota

Peanut, an extraordinary turtle was found in Missouri in 1993. Peanut could easily be a prey to many animals or she could have drowned in the water but as luck would have it she was rescued and taken to a zoo in St. Louis where the six-pack ring on her body was removed. Missouri Department of Conservation is now responsible for her care now.

If the same accident had happened to an animal without a hard shell, the animal probably would have died from an infection. Since Peanut’s shell protected her body although some of her organs still don’t function

There are multitudes of hazards waiting to trap animals! If an item has any loops or openings it isn’t difficult for an animal to get ensnared. The trapped animal often panics, making things worse. Since animals don’t have the same agility like people do, it’s difficult for them to get out of entanglements. Fishing line is another significant threat, especially since it’s often obscure. Snared animals do not usually survive long; they either starve or are quickly eaten by predators.

Image Source: www.mntrails.com

Small plastic bits and cigarette filters also pose a significant threat. Animals usually can’t tell the difference between litter and food, so they eat the litter, and choke or fill their bellies with plastic and starve.

A Request From UNBELIEVABLE FACTS:

• Never leave six-pack rings uncut
• Always keep your streets and surroundings clean
• Do not Litter
• Discourage Littering
• Throw fishing line away in a proper manner
• Help clean water bodies