Lobster Found with Pepsi Logo 'Tattoo' Fuels Fears over Ocean Litter

Concerns over debris littering the world's oceans are back in the spotlight after a Canadian fishing crew found a lobster with the blue and red Pepsi logo imprinted on its claw.

So why did a lobster caught in the waters off Grand Manan, New Brunswick, have part of a Pepsi logo tattooed on its claw?

That's a question that baffled Karissa Lindstrand, the fisherman who spotted the uncanny image.

Photos of the claw show the upper lid of the can is visible,with all the details of its popper and curved edges. Just the glimpse of a red logo peeks out from the bottom. Whether the imprint came from an actual can of Pepsi or from an image of a can on a case or other item remains unclear.

The photo has also underscored concerns about the amount of plastics and debris in the world's oceans. About 300 million tons of plastic is produced annually and more than 8 million tons are dumped into our oceans every year, according to environmental advocacy group Plastic Oceans.

Because these problems are taking place in the oceans, they're largely out-of-sight. Until, that is, a strange or grotesque image that distills the issue goes viral.

Garbage doesn't just impact marine habitats—animals also love to eat it. One 2016 study found that marine life eats so much debris because it smells like food. It seems highly unlikely though that the lobster was attempting to drink a can of Pepsi.

▍生词好句

in the spotlight: if sb. or sth. is in the spotlight, it means it is getting lots of public attention; it's the center of attention. (常用搭配: under the spotlight)

baffle /ˈbaf(ə)l/: vt. to (totally /completely) confuse sb. (常用搭配: be baffled by)

remain unclear: if sth. remains unclear, it is still not known (but is usually expected to be known at some point in the future.) (通常用于写作和正式发言中)

out-of-sight: not visible; happening in a place that you can not see.

grotesque /ɡrə(ʊ)ˈtɛsk/: n. a strange or frightening appearance or feature or part of your character. (文中是 adj. strange or frightening)

go viral /ˈvʌɪr(ə)l/: if a video, image, or story goes viral, it spreads quickly and widely on the Internet through social media and e-mail.

highly unlikely: very unlikely. (相对于 very unlikely, 母语者更习惯于使用 highly unlikely)