Seventeen dead dolphins washed ashore in Mauritius, sparking debate about whether the recent oil spill is to blame.
On July 25, a Japanese bulk carrier ran aground a reef off the southeast coast of Mauritius and oil spilled from cracks in the hull, which eventually split the carrier in two.
Greenpeace is calling for an investigation into the dolphin deaths.
Happy Khambule, Greenpeace Africa Senior Climate and Energy Campaign Manager, said in a statement: ‘This is a deeply sad and alarming day for the people of Mauritius and for its singular biodiversity, itself known and appreciated by the worldwide biodiversity community.
‘Greenpeace appeals to the authorities to carry out a swift, transparent and public autopsy on the bodies collected.’
Environmental campaigners say that if the oil spill is not directly linked to their deaths, they believe that part of the vessel which authorities sank may be to blame, according to the BBC.
Greenpeace Africa and Greenpeace Japan joined local human rights organisation Dis Moi in a letter to the Government of Mauritius, calling for greater transparency and accountability in their handling of the crisis and calling for three key investigations. The stranding of an extraordinary number of mammals this morning reinforces how urgent these demands are.
Vijay Naraidoo, co-director of Dis Moi, said: ‘The ocean is part of who we are. The whole country including coastal communities depend on its health. That is why many Mauritians woke up anguished and afraid that the oil spill may be killing it. Such biodiversity loss is an ominous development for what might come as a result of the oil spill.’
A post-mortem is being conducted on the marine mammals.
At least 14 dead dolphins have washed up on the shores of a beach in Mauritius, close to the scene of a huge oil spill.
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— SkyNews (@SkyNews) August 27, 2020
MAURITIUS OIL SPILL: 17 DEAD DOLPHINS FOUND AFTER SPILL.
First reported deaths of dolphins since the shipwreck.Up to now, fish &crabs have been found dead.Situation will continue to deteriorate as time goes on.
Hate is a word I don’t use often, I hate the Fossil Fuels industry! pic.twitter.com/b3qWV6FP95
— Terrence Daniels (Captain 🍀 Planet) (@Terrence_STR) August 26, 2020
Image credit: Twitter/ @Terrence_STR
