Ocean litter and trash has become so ubiquitous that invasive species are able to move long-distance across oceans, which happened for example after the 2011 tsunami in Japan. Millions of tons of debris arrived at Pacific coastlines, transporting a variety of non-native species into new environments, with potentially dangerous impact. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch also plays a role in the exchange of species from all corners of the world. Animals can survive for a surprisingly long time, up to six years when hitching a ride on ocean litter.

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Picture Credit Susanne Kuehne 

Posted on 7 July 2021