Microplastics Spread Across Amazon Ecosystems, Threatening Wildlife

Mongabay reports that plastic particles are contaminating the Amazon from the Negro River bed to the mouth of the Amazon River, affecting rivers, streams, lakes and mangroves. Fish such as the pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) have been found ingesting microplastics, and emerging evidence shows contamination in land animals including tapirs, bats, monkeys and amphibians. While research is ongoing, significant gaps remain in understanding the full scale of pollution and its effects on biodiversity and the communities that depend on these waterways.