Tuesday November 10, 2009, 4:41 pm



Add your voice to our protest to prevent this ever happening again.Send an e-protest to the Australian Government

Up to 2000 barrels of oil a day leaked from an offshore oil-rig for more than 10 weeks. On November 3rd the spill was finally capped but WDCS is extremely concerned that the ecological impact of millions of litres of oil spilled into these tropical waters is likely to persist for years to come, including direct health consequences for whales and dolphins.

“Capping the oil spill is good news, but the damage is done” says Dr Mike Bossley, WDCS Australasian Managing Director and explains “Marine animals can ingest oil-derived toxic compounds either directly from the water or with their food. Poisonous vapors can also be inhaled by whales and dolphins and especially when the volatile components evaporate into the air from freshly spilled oil. There will also be chronic longer-term effects of oil entering food-chain potentially affecting both them and their prey. Much of this will happen far from sight and if whales or dolphins are killed or otherwise affected – days, months and years into the future - we are unlikely to be witness to this.”

Add your voice to our protest to prevent this ever happening again.Send an e-protest to the Australian Government

Read our blog about our fight to prevent this disaster from happening again.

Wednesday November 11, 2009, 9:40 am
Thannxxx Cher.. this disaster should never have happened, and on top of that it took weeks for them to put a lid on it... unfortunately the people and animals of this area will suffer the conseqences of this in the years to come..

Wednesday November 11, 2009, 7:16 pm
Thanks Cher, signed and sent

Thursday November 12, 2009, 2:23 am
Noted and signed. This is something that could easily have been prevented which makes it all the more sad.

Thursday November 12, 2009, 10:38 am
It happens time and time again most of the time you don't even hear about the spills.