Whatever one’s opinions may be on the impact of plastic pollution on the environment, there is no getting around the fact that it is a serious issue.

Plastic not only degrades our ecosystem but also kills species, as seen by the evidence found in our farms, forests, skies, and seas. We already informed you, a few months ago, about the discovery of a dead pregnant sperm whale with about fifty pounds of plastic in its stomach.

We regret to inform you that this was not a unique occurrence. A 17-year-old deer in Japan’s well-known Nara Park recently passed away, and a veterinarian’s examination revealed that her stomach contained about 9 pounds of plastic.

It would appear that the tourists aren’t leaving the park as they find it. Littering has become an issue there, as well as many of the tourists irresponsibly interacting with the deer themselves.

Plastic, above all else, though, is considered the worst of the problems. According to SoraNews24, as many as eight deer have died in the park during 2019 for reasons unknown. Later autopsies then revealed that six of them had been killed by excessive plastic consumption.

The case in point is the deer above. Veterinarians at the Nara Deer Park Association had noticed on March 23, prior to her death, that she was weak and malnourished. She died the next day.

To better put the matter into perspective, the autopsy found the deer to weigh just 66-pounds, including the 9-pounds of plastic in her stomach. This meant that she wasn’t able top regurgitate, digest, and ingest new food, making plastic the lead cause of her death.

Unfortunately, when deers sniff out food inside of a plastic bag – perhaps one that has been dumped or left behind – they consume the whole thing, unable to distinguish between what is safe to eat and what is harmful.

Authorities are now urging all guests to refrain from feeding the deer, unless its deer crackers purchased in the park itself.