A heartbreaking photo shows a baby sea turtle which died hours after washing up on a beach in Florida with more than 100 pieces of plastic in its stomach.
The tiny loggerhead sea turtle was pictured lying next to 104 pieces of plastic, which were found in his stomach after it washed up in Boca Raton last week.
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center said the turtle, which "would fit in the palm of your hand", had eaten the plastic, which then got caught in its intestinal tracts.
"It's washback season at Gumbo Limbo and weak, tiny turtles are washing up along the coastline needing our help," a spokesman for the nature centre said.
"Unfortunately, not every washback survives, 100 per cent of our washbacks that didn't make it had plastic in their intestinal tracts.
"This turtle, which would fit in the palm of your hand, had eaten 104 pieces of plastic. This is a sad reminder that we all need to do our part to keep our oceans plastic-free."
Speaking to CNN, sea turtle rehabilitation assistant Emily Mirowski said the turtle was "weak and emaciated" when she examined it.
"I could tell it wasn't doing well," she said. "It was heartbreaking.
"But it's something we've seen for several years and we're just glad people are finally seeing this image and hopefully it's raising awareness".
Ms Mirowski told the broadcaster that the problem will continue until people stop disposing of plastics improperly.
She said: "We have to reduce plastic use as much as possible.
"Not just recycling, but eliminating plastic out of daily use. Every piece of plastic that's ever been made is still out there, it never goes away, it just breaks down to smaller pieces."
