VIDEO: Baby turtle's plight highlights dangers of plastic

Plastics are killing marine life (Nigel_Wallace/Getty Images)

AN Australian zoo has released a video showing a pile of plastic next to a baby turtle that had ingested it.

The endangered Loggerhead turtle was taken to Perth Zoo vets for medical treatment from the Parks and Wildlife Service after being rescued a few weeks ago.

While in their care, the vets found plastic in its faeces.

In an effort to remind people to dispose of plastic responsibly and try to cut down their use of it, zoo staff filmed the turtle next to a pile of the plastic it excreted.

A reminder to reduce your use of plastic and dispose of it responsibly: Think of this endangered Loggerhead Turtle our vets have been treating. It was rescued by @WAParksWildlife & came to us for medical care, the poor turtle has been pooping out plastic ingested from the ocean! pic.twitter.com/j56e9s2bMr

— Perth Zoo (@PerthZoo) April 3, 2018

The baby turtle is thought to be less than a year old, and has already had a tough start in life, like many of his species.

There are six species of marine turtle in Australian waters.

According to Perth Zoo, all have suffered population declines as a result of pollution, entanglement in fishing nets, plastic bag ingestion, depletion of food stocks, boat-related injuries, loss of shoreline breeding areas and egg predation by species such as foxes and dogs.

Poor lil guy ☹️Sending healing love and aloha ?

— Anita Hannon (@Squeaky260) April 3, 2018

Marine turtles are recognised internationally as a species of conservation concern and are listed in the World Conservation Union Red List of Threatened Animals.

Loggerhead turtles are considered endangered in Australia.