'Sightless' corals relish the taste of plastic, says study

New Delhi: Many marine animals consume plastic debris mistakenly thinking of all the dirt as their prey but sightless corals consume plastic because they like its taste, says a study.

Visual cues, such as a resemblance to prey, do not factor into the appeal because corals have no eyes.

Microplastics, tiny pieces of weathered plastic less than five millimetres in diameter, began accumulating in the oceans four decades ago and are now ubiquitous in the marine environment. 

They pose a major threat to foraging sea animals, including many species of birds, turtles, fish, marine mammals and invertebrates.

Because plastic is largely indigestible, it can lead to intestinal blockages, create a false sense of fullness or reduce energy reserves in animals that consume it.

However, corals like consuming all types of plastics but prefer unfouled microplastics by a threefold difference over microplastics covered in bacteria, says the study.

This means that the plastic itself contains something that makes it tasty.