Mauritius: Thousands protest over dolphin deaths after oil spill: Here’s what you should know

Team Udayavani, Aug 31, 2020, 1:16 PM IST

Thousands of people protested in the Mauritian capital of Port Louis on Saturday, Aug 29, calling for an investigation into an oil spill from a Japanese ship that caused the death of the dolphins

People are demanding an investigation into whether the dolphins died as a result of the spill, caused when the bulk carrier Wakashio struck a coral reef last month.

It is said that the government has said it will carry out autopsies on all of the dolphins and has set up a commission to look into the spill. Veterinarians examined two of the dolphin carcasses, but found no signs of oil trace.

Experts claim that they were either killed as a direct result of the spill or when it was scuttled.

Environmental workers and volunteers have been working for days to rescue wildlife affected by the spill and creating makeshift oil barriers.

According to BBC, About 1,000 tonnes of oil spilled into a sanctuary for rare wildlife after the Japanese ship MV Wakashio struck a coral reef on 25 July.

It is a major blow to the country that relies heavily on tourism. Experts claim that the impact on Mauritius and its tourism-dependent economy could last for decades.