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EnewsletterThe Timor Oil Spill - A Slow Motion Disaster
Since 21 August 2009 between 400-2000 barrels of oil a day leaked from an offshore oil rig into the Timor Sea, and spinner dolphins, false killer whale, bottlenose dolphins and pantropical spotted dolphins were all confirmed to be within the oil slick.
The spill, one of Australia’s worst, has been in a remote and isolated area more than 200kms off Western Australia’s Kimberley coast. After many attempts to plug the leak, the spill was finally stopped on 3rd November - 10 weeks after it started.
The impacts of the spill are just now beginning to be considered.
In August, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) called forurgent, independent and transparent monitoring. This call has beenaffirmed by the Rapid Assessment of the Impacts of the Montara Oil Leak on Birds, Cetaceans and Marine Reptiles commissioned by the Australian Government.
“Spill after spill happens in Australian waters and baseline information is rarely known, mitigation measures are rarely appropriate and yet, the industry claims that their operations are infallible are usually believed.” comments Margi Prideaux, WDCS spokesperson.
The consequence is that oil spills continue to destroy large areas of ocean and thousands of animals die. This simply has to stop. The oil and gas industry must become accountable.
“We still don’t see the commitment we expect from theAustralian Government. If they were serious about mitigating the threatsof oil spills they would immediately freeze all new oil and gasexploration applications; develop much stronger conditions and controlsover all oil and gas rig and shipping activities including contingencyplans before approvals are given; and identify and fully protect allwhale and dolphin critical habitats in a network of marine sanctuariesbefore any oil and gas acreage is released again” Dr Mike Bossley, WDCS Australasian Regional Director.
Read our blog about our fight to prevent this disaster from happening again
Take action: Send an e-protest to the Australian GovernmentThe impacts of oil spills on whales and dolphins
The best known and most graphic effects of an oil spill are typically seen in seabirds. Their feathers become clogged with oil and loose their vitally important insulating abilities. The same thing can happen to furred mammals. Preening birds can also ingest toxic compounds from their plumage.
Whales and dolphins use their blubber layer for insulation and so are not affected in this way, but ingestion and inhalation may occur when animals are in close or direct contact with a spill. The large baleen whales can suffer from oiling of their baleen. Ingestion through prey and damage to the food web are also possibilities.
“Crude and other oils are mixtures of a great many organic compounds many of which are toxic, and animals can ingest oil-derived compounds either directly from the water or with their food. Poisonous vapours can also be inhaled and especially as the more volatile components evaporate into the air from freshly spilled oil” said Mark Simmonds, WDCS International Director of Science. “Regrettably, whales and dolphins are unlikely to avoid oils spills and the more extensive the spill, the greater the encounter rate is likely to be. There will also be chronic effects of oil entering food-chains. Much of this is going to happen far away from the human eye and if whales or dolphins are killed or otherwise affected, we are unlikely to be witness to this. All of this further explains the need to keep fossil fuel plants out of important wildlife areas.”
Opportunistic observational research of wild animals has shown that the bottlenose dolphins observed during a fresh spill could detect slick and mousse oils but did not react to lighter sheen oil. Dolphin groups hesitated and milled when the encountered slick oil, eventually diving under small patches but continuing through extensive areas.
We may be too late to help the animals exposed to the Timor oil spill, but we need your help to ensure this never happens again. Send an e-protest to the Australian Government and ask them to put in place measures that puts wildlife before oil.
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