Comic or tragic? Marine biologists find fully functional USB stick in seal poop

Wellington, Feb 7: Dangers posed to the earth's marine life by piling up tons of plastic is not something new to learn. Scores of water lives are being lost because they consume the gigantic amount of plastic wastes that are gathering because of indifference of human beings.

Recently, a similar story of a marine animal devouring yet another electronic object and still surviving it has surprised a team of marine biologist Dr Krista Hupman at NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research), Auckland, New Zealand. Dr Hupman and her team were researching leopard seal scat to ascertain their eating habits and health when they found a USB stick in it. And guess what, it was still functioning!

NIWA later tweeted a video stored in the stick seeking the owner of the stick found in the leopard seal's poop.

NIWA is searching for the owner of a USB stick found in the poo of a leopard seal…
Recognise this video? Scientists analysing the scat of leopard seals have come across an unexpected discovery – a USB stick full of photos & still in working order! https://t.co/2SZVkm5az4 pic.twitter.com/JLEC8vuHH0

— NIWA (@niwa_nz) February 5, 2019

The story attracted quite a bit of attention, not only because the seal survived despite swallowing a USB stick but also because people were wondering which company made such high-quality USB that survived the stomach churning of the animal.

A sturdy build & poo-proof. What more could one ask for from a USB drive? https://t.co/JZeL2PeDMl

— Jackson Williams (@jacksonw____) February 5, 2019

This USB stick must have thought his fate was sealed! What an ordeal , he must be so pooped! 😏😏

— Margie 🍀 (@Marjayhan) February 5, 2019

☑️ SEAL PROOF pic.twitter.com/n2n31vO2Yu

— D_& (@LackOfToast) February 5, 2019

Hupman though was more concerned about the amount of plastic that sea animals are eating and the damage it is inflicting on the environment: "We are finding more and more marine mammals are ingesting plastic. This is just part of something that us humans have done to the environment," she said, according to a report in Storypick.

It's a perfect example of tragedy as well as comedy. Isn't it?