At Least 40 Dead Dolphins Wash Up Ashore Near Mauritius Oil Spill

Protesters are demanding an urgent investigation into the deaths, after 1,000 tonnes of oil leaked into protected wildlife lagoons. 

Anger is growing over the unprecedented number of dolphin deaths in Mauritius, as the island struggles to deal with the devastating oil spill that occurred last month.

At least 40 dolphins have been found so far, prompting thousands of protesters to take to the streets of its capital city, Port Louis, to demand an urgent investigation into the deaths. 

A local fisherman told Reuters that he counted around 30 dolphins floating on August 28, and also witnessed the “heartwrenching” moment a baby calf died in-front of its mother. Another fisherman then tracked the distressed mother, who he says “swam in circles in front of the boat, she moved her tail very violently and after about five minutes she just stopped moving, and she sunk … we heard cries, I thought it was a woman … but no, it was the dolphin”.       

While autopsy results are yet to be announced, it is feared that the deaths are due to the toxic chemicals that have leaked into the idyllic waters of southeast Mauritius, after a Japanese-owned vessel ran aground in July.

The MV Wakashio hit a coral reef on July 25, and over 1,000 tonnes of oil have since spilled into renowned but delicate ecosystems, such as the wetlands at Blue Bay and Pointe d’Esny. Tragically, both are protected sites of international importance, due to their wealth of rare marine, coral, and plant life.

In particular, the Blue Bay Marine Park is a unique coastal wetland boasting at least 38 coral species, including the 1,000-year-old brain coral, which at five meters wide, is the largest coral in the Indian Ocean. The different types of coral found here support over 200 fish species, as well as the endangered green turtle. 

The crash site is also home to some of the rarest species on the planet, such as the Aldabra tortoise, one of the world’s largest tortoises, and the endemic pink pigeon, which bounced back from near-extinction in the 1990s. 

The oil spill is feared to be the worst ecological disaster to hit Mauritius. Declared a national emergency by the Mauritian government, it undermines decades of conservation efforts, and poses a serious threat to the island’s tourism industry.       

“Thousands of species around the pristine lagoons of Blue Bay, Pointe d’Esny, and Mahebourg are at risk of drowning in a sea of pollution, with dire consequences for Mauritus’s economy, food security, and health”, says Greenpeace.

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