First record of plastic ingestion by Cerdocyon thous (Carnivora, Canidae) in northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Cerdocyon thous is a neotropical canid often found in natural, fragmented, altered and agricultural environments. Its generalist diet includes plant and animal items, as well as items generated from human activities, such as cultivated fruits. We report the first consumption of plastic by this species in the semiarid region of Brazil, determined by three fragments found in the stomach of a road-killed individual. This finding highlights the problem of inadequate disposal of domestic waste, and the present threat of inorganic material in the food chain.