Wildlife rescuers desperately search for animal that was photographed in distressing predicament: 'We are horrified'

A search was launched in a popular United Kingdom park after the revelation of a disturbing photo.

An emergency incident report was published by Doncaster Free Press after officials at Sandall Park were sent a photo of a duck with its neck trapped in a plastic ring.

Volunteers desperately looked for the duck, fearing it wouldn't survive long in its condition.

A spokesperson for Sandall Park was quoted: "We are horrified. This is why we hate litter. It's an endless loop of carelessness."

After 1.5 hours, the bird was still not found. The hope was that the duck was able to escape on its own.

According to Statista, global plastic waste has multiplied more than seven times in the past four decades, reaching over 396 million tons each year. Litter has become more problematic with confetti celebrations, disposable vapes, and glitter products on top of lazy disregard. Litter can have devastating effects on wildlife, even causing death in worst-case scenarios.

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Plastic is sourced from dirty energy like crude oil and natural gas, making it toxic and nonbiodegradable. Because of this, plastics only break down into microplastics that now litter the Earth, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains and everywhere in between — including our own bodies. And the kicker is it's all created by human activity.

Reducing plastic, particularly single-use plastic, is more paramount now than ever before. Swapping out everyday plastics like water bottles, grocery bags, and food containers with nontoxic alternatives can make all the difference — and they'll last longer because of their higher quality. It will save you money, reduce your carbon footprint, and keep the planet a little bit cooler.

Make sure trash ends up in the proper bins and, whatever you do, do not litter. It's the easiest thing you can do.

One good Samaritan documented their cleanup efforts and collected over 200,000 pieces of trash in the span of a year. Follow suit and take local action to improve your community, protect wildlife, and make this world a cleaner place.