Faith Nyasuguta
On the Kenyan island of Lamu, the aroma of seawater mingles with the scent of fresh dung as donkeys amble along the dock, transporting residents and cargo. Lamu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is renowned for preserving Swahili culture and maintaining a lifestyle untouched by modern vehicles.
Instead, the island relies heavily on nearly 3,000 donkeys for transport through its narrow, winding streets, a tradition that dates back 700 years.
However, a growing crisis is threatening these essential animals: plastic pollution. Increasing numbers of donkeys are dying from ingesting plastic waste, with scientists warning that other land animals may also be at risk.
With limited natural forage available, donkeys are scavenging through piles of discarded plastic bottles, diapers, and cloth along the roadsides, leading to severe health issues.
A recent case involved a baby donkey, weak and dehydrated, brought to the Donkey Sanctuary, an animal welfare charity on the island. Veterinarians discovered 30 centimeters of knotted plastic in the animal’s stool after administering laxatives.
“The donkeys will eat all sorts of things, from plastics to clothes to cartons,-everything,” said Dr. Obadiah Sing’Oei, the lead veterinarian at the sanctuary. The consumption of plastic can cause fatal nutritional colic, a condition that blocks the digestive tract, leading to starvation and death.
The impact of plastic pollution on marine life is well-documented, but its effects on terrestrial animals, especially in places like Lamu, are less understood. Researchers from the University of Portsmouth and the Donkey Sanctuary are conducting one of the first studies of its kind, focusing on the effects of plastic pollution on donkeys and other livestock in Kenya.
Preliminary findings indicate at least three donkeys per month are dying from colic linked to plastic ingestion, although the actual number is likely higher.
“This is just a fraction of the cases we see,” said Sing’Oei. “Anecdotally, any donkey owner in Lamu will tell you they’ve lost animals to colic from plastic.” The problem has reached crisis levels, with many donkeys arriving at the clinic in severe pain, struggling to breathe, or unable to move.
“If they came earlier, we might have been able to save them,” Sing’Oei lamented. However, abdominal surgery for donkeys is often a last resort with low survival rates.
Hufeidha Abdul Majid, a 27-year-old donkey owner, recently lost one of his animals to colic caused by plastic ingestion. “I am really concerned about the plastics. Before, blockages were caused by organic material, so we could handle that, but that’s not the case now,” he said.
Majid, who inherited 25 donkeys from his grandfather, now avoids letting his animals roam freely in town, fearing what they might eat. “To lose a donkey is hard, it’s like losing a family member,” he added.
The donkey study will contribute to a growing body of research on the impact of plastic waste on land animals. While there is extensive data on marine ecosystems, the effects of plastics on terrestrial environments are less understood.
In the UK, a 2022 study found that more than half of small mammal species tested had ingested plastic, with polyester being the most common type. Similarly, in India, scientists found various forms of waste, including glass and rubber, in the dung of elephants. Research is also underway in Indonesia to study the effects of plastic on Sulawesi moor macaques.
In many countries, domesticated animals graze on open waste dumps, exposing them to hazardous materials that can affect their health and welfare. This situation not only endangers the animals but also poses risks to humans who consume their meat or milk, potentially contaminated with microplastics. “It’s pretty grim,” said Dr. Cressida Bowyer, deputy director of the Revolution Plastics initiative at Portsmouth University. “We saw what was happening and found there was no research being done in this area.”
In Lamu, some residents have organized private rubbish collection associations, but in areas like Old Town, they rely on irregular county services. The Kenyan plastic reduction organization FlipFlopi has been actively collecting plastic waste for recycling.
“Tractors used to go every two or three days to collect rubbish, and colic cases went down,” Sing’Oei noted. “But it’s overflowing again. It’s something that causes a drastic change. [Colic] cases go down when the dumpsters are cleared and rise again when they are filled up.”
The situation is dire for Lamu’s donkey population, which has been integral to the community for generations. “This entire town was built on the back of donkeys,” said Shebe Abdallah, 54, who lost his last racing donkey to colic.
“We don’t need to mark our donkeys because we know each one of them, the one who died was the fourth of a generation of donkeys that passed down through my family. It’s difficult to lose one you’ve invested so much in.”
As Lamu grapples with this crisis, the broader implications of plastic pollution on animal and human health are becoming increasingly clear. The need for immediate action and sustainable waste management solutions is more pressing than ever.
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