Latest news with #SamratChakraborty
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers make alarming discovery after analyzing feces of wild cat species: 'Can cause severe damage'
A study has found plastic contamination in fishing cat waste throughout India's Sundarbans wetlands, The Times of India reported. Scientists from the University of Calcutta analyzed scat samples from fishing cats across four locations in the Sundarbans and discovered microplastics in every sample tested. The plastic pieces ranged from 0.1 to 0.9 millimeters and included fibers, beads, pellets, foam, sheets, and fragments. "Microplastics detected in the scat samples of fishing cats are mainly fibres with some beads and pellets, foam, sheets and fragments," said Samrat Chakraborty, who led the study at Calcutta University's zoology department. The analysis confirmed the plastic came from high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and other common materials found in tourist and industrial waste. The contamination affects more than just the cats themselves. Researchers also found plastic in the region's soil, water, vegetation, rodents, fish, and crabs. The study identified tourism activities, discarded fishing nets, and industrial waste from Kolkata as the primary sources of this pollution. Plastic particles can cause gastrointestinal problems, making it harder for fishing cats to digest food and absorb nutrients properly. "This can result in behavioural changes that may impact their hunting practices," Chakraborty explained. "These toxins can cause severe damage to the reproductive cycles, resulting in poor litter numbers or babies with immunological problems." These health impacts could reduce fishing cat populations. For humans living in the Sundarbans, losing fishing cats would mean losing a natural predator that helps control rodent populations. These cats also serve as an indicator species, which means their health reflects the condition of the wetland ecosystem that millions of people depend on for fishing, tourism, and coastal protection. The plastic contamination shows how pollution from cities and tourist activities travels through food webs, eventually reaching apex predators. If these toxins can accumulate in wild cats, they're likely present throughout the food chain that local communities rely on. Do you think we use too much plastic in America? Definitely Only some people Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The research team has launched awareness campaigns across 12 districts in South Bengal, reaching teachers, anglers, boat operators, students, and other community members. They've conducted cleanup drives at the Bhagabatpur Crocodile Sanctuary and organized educational camps focused on the toxic effects of plastic pollution. To protect fishing cats and reduce plastic waste, rely on reusable bags, bottles, and containers instead of single-use plastic items. Pack out trash and participate in local cleanup efforts when visiting natural areas. Supporting organizations working on wetland conservation and reducing plastic pollution can multiply your impact. Advocate for stronger waste management policies in your community and choose products with little or no plastic packaging. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Plastic peril in Sundarbans: Microplastics found in fishing cat scat, soil, water and prey
KOLKATA : A study has laid bare the presence of plastic in scat samples of fishing cats in the Indian Sundarbans, indicating how far the non-biodegradable pollutant has penetrated the fragile ecosystem. Plastic was also found in their environmental and dietary components like soil, water, vegetation, rodents, fish and crabs. The plastic includes both high- and low-density polyethylene and the study follows similar exposes on the presence of heavy metals in the Sundarbans ecosystem . Experts blame tourism, unused fishing nets discarded in the islands and industrial influx from Kolkata for the magnitude of the problem. 'Microplastics detected in the scat samples of fishing cats are mainly fibres with some beads and pellets, foam, sheets and fragments. The sizes ranged between 0.1 and 0.9mm. An analysis confirmed that the majority of microplastics were composed of high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene and polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, poly-ether, and diglycidyl ethers that are common constituents of plastic pollution originating from tourist and industrial waste,' said Samrat Chakraborty of Calcutta University's dept of zoology, who led the study. Professor Goutam Kumar Saha of dept of zoology, CU, and Dr Tanoy Mukherjee of Indian Statistical Institute along with Joydip Kundu of city-based NGO SHER were the co-principal investigators. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The study — conducted at Pakhiralay, Patharpratima, Lothian Wildlife Sanctuary and Henry's Island with the Wildlife Conservation Trust's BEES Grants — identified unscientific tourism loads and random littering (of plastic packets and bottles) plus nets discarded by fisherfolk as the microplastic sources. Plastic pollution could lead to gastrointestinal problems in fishing cats, Bengal's state animal, Chakraborty said. 'This can also result in behavioural changes that may impact their hunting practices. These toxins can cause severe damage to the reproductive cycles, resulting in poor litter numbers or babies with imm-unological problems. All these may impact the fishing cat population in the near future,' he added. The same study earlier detected the presence of heavy metals like lead and chromium in fishing cat scat samples and the environment. The team has also conducted two awareness camps in the Sundarbans. Teachers from forest fringes participated in the camp at Pakhiralay, where they focused on the pollutants' toxic effects. The team conducted a clean-up drive at the Bhagabatpur Crocodile Sanctuary. Awareness camps, too, were held in 12 South Bengal districts to reach out to a wider audience of grassroots communities, teachers, fishermen, boatmen, students and other stakeholders and make them aware of the ecological significance of fishing cats and the need for their conservation, Chakraborty said.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Fishing cat poop reveals plastic peril in Sundarbans
KOLKATA: A study has laid bare the presence of plastic in scat samples of fishing cats in the Indian Sundarbans , indicating how far the non-biodegradable pollutant has penetrated the fragile ecosystem. Plastic was also found in their environmental and dietary components like soil, water, vegetation, rodents, fish and crabs. The plastic includes both high- and low-density polyethylene and the study follows similar exposes on the presence of heavy metals in the Sundarbans ecosystem . Experts blame tourism, unused fishing nets discarded in the islands and industrial influx from Kolkata for the magnitude of the problem. 'Microplastics detected in the scat samples of fishing cats are mainly fibres with some beads and pellets, foam, sheets and fragments. The sizes ranged between 0.1 and 0.9mm. An analysis confirmed that the majority of microplastics were composed of high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene and polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, poly-ether, and diglycidyl ethers that are common constituents of plastic pollution originating from tourist and industrial waste,' principal investigator and Calcutta University zoology professor Samrat Chakraborty said, quoting from the study. Indian Statistical Institute professors Goutam Kumar Saha and Tanoy Mukherjee along with Joydip Kundu of city-based NGO SHER were the co-principal investigators. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Accounting Automation Software Might Help You To Earn More Accounting Automation Software | Search ads Undo The study — conducted at Pakhiralay, Patharpratima, Lothian Wildlife Sanctuary and Henry's Island with the Wildlife Conservation Trust's BEES Grants — identified unscientific tourism loads and random littering (of plastic packets and bottles) plus nets discarded by fisherfolk as the microplastic sources. Plastic pollution could lead to gastrointestinal problems in fishing cats, Bengal's state animal, Chakraborty said. 'This can also result in behavioural changes that may impact their hunting practices. These toxins can cause severe damage to the reproductive cycles, resulting in poor litter numbers or babies with imm-unological problems. All these may impact the fishing cat population in the near future,' he added. The same study earlier detected the presence of heavy metals like lead and chromium in fishing cat scat samples and the environment. The team has also conducted two awareness camps in the Sundarbans. Teachers from forest fringes participated in the camp at Pakhiralay, where they focused on the pollutants' toxic effects. The team conducted a clean-up drive at the Bhagabatpur Crocodile Sanctuary. Awareness camps, too, were held in 12 south Bengal districts to reach out to a wider audience of grassroots communities, teachers, fishermen, boatmen, students and other stakeholders and make them aware of the ecological significance of fishing cats and the need for their conservation, Chakraborty said. Earlier, the study had pointed to heavy metal presence in the mangroves. As per initial findings, there is presence of heavy metals such as lead and chromium in the fishing cats' scat samples, their environmental samples — water, soil, vegetation — and also in food chain — fish, rodents, crabs. According to Chakraborty, scats and the environmental samples were initially collected. 'This was followed by acid digestion and then quantification of heavy metals by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry technique (ICP-OES) to arrive at the initial results,' he elaborated.
