India, Aug. 18 -- Experts and conservationists have sounded an alarm over the rising threat posed by plastic waste to wild animals in the region's grasslands such as wolves, hyenas, wild dogs, blackbucks and several bird species that often mistake discarded plastic bags, bottles and packaging for food, ingesting these items leading in turn to severe injuries, intestinal blockages and even death. Predators and scavengers feeding on the affected animals, too, are at risk. While plastic waste does not directly cause disease, it can lead to fatal intestinal blockages in animals, often leading to their death. Presently, no extensive work has been carried out in terms of data collection related to animal deaths caused by plastic waste and there...