Donkeys in Kenya are dying with stomachs full of plastic – and other animals are at risk

With little grass for grazing on the island of Lamu, donkeys are rummaging through rubbish - and scientists now fear it is a global problem affecting many species

The smell of sea water and fresh dung fill the oceanfront air on the Kenyan island of Lamu, as donkeys plod along the town's dock, ferrying residents and cargo. Lamu Old Town is a Unesco world heritage site, known for preserving its Swahili culture. With no cars but nearly 3,000 donkeys on the island, residents rely heavily on the animals for a living and as transport in the narrow, winding streets of the 700-year-old town, one of east Africa's oldest.

Now, however, increasing numbers of donkeys are dying from eating plastic on the island, and scientists fear many other land animals are also being affected by human plastic pollution.