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August 29, 2020: Peaceful protest in the Mauritian capital, Port Louis, following the death of 39 dolphins … [+]
Thousands of people took to the streets of the Mauritian capital, Port Louis, on Saturday to express their frustration with the handling and secrecy surrounding the Wakashio Oil spill.
Yesterday, the Minister of Maritime Affairs revealed that 39 whales and dolphins had been confirmed dead on the island, better known internationally as a heavenly destination for weddings and honeymoons.
Protests are relatively rare on the island, and the size of Saturday’s protests reflected the anger and solidarity felt at how the natural environment in the relatively underdeveloped south and east of the island had been affected by the oil spill and the subsequent salvage operation.
View of the island Ile aux Aigrettes in the turquoise lagoon, Pointe d’Esny, Mahebourg, before the oil … [+]
Mauritius is heavily dependent on tourism, fishing and its natural environment (in particular the coral reef systems that act as a natural barrier to coastal erosion), and all three were heavily affected by the oil spill and the subsequent rescue operation. This has compounded the pressures the country faces with the coronavirus pandemic that affects travel and tourism globally.
Anger has risen in the past three days as images and videos of dead or suffering marine mammals have circulated on social media, leaving islanders frustrated that their efforts have been sidelined in favor of anonymous international specialists who they have not been responsible for the decisions made. that are affecting the lives of many in the region, as well as the many years of rehabilitation work now needed to repair the damage.
Mauritius has always had a strong relationship with nature, with many national parks, protected areas, rare species breeding programs and tourist activities that involve the observation of wild dolphins, but carefully regulating any interactions that may domesticate them.
Expressions of international support
August 29, 2020 – Mauritian diaspora around the world came together to show solidarity with the environment … [+]
Early Saturday, the large Mauritian diaspora had also joined peaceful protests around the world to show solidarity with dramatic images over the past 35 days showing the impact of the grounding and subsequent oil spill. Protests wearing Covid-19 protective masks had been seen around the world in Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and London.
Most of the protesters had adopted the color black, to symbolize the impact of the oil on the generally turquoise blue waters of the coral lagoon. The drone footage captured the size of the crowd, which appeared to be one of the largest public gatherings since the UK’s 1968 independence.
On what was a sunny day, the atmosphere was largely celebratory, and images from the day showed many inflatable dolphins held aloft in support and memory of the 39 who had died to date.
Call for a public investigation
August 29, 2020: One of the largest crowds since Mauritius achieved independence had gathered at the … [+]
The centerpiece of the day had been a series of speeches by maritime security expert Bruneau Laurette, who quickly emerged as the face of a new movement calling for justice and sustainability, and has been calling for an open public inquiry into the events surrounding the grounding the Wakashio.
In a series of presentations using satellite analytics on the main stage, he raised questions about the movements and activities of the ships supporting the Wakashio, who had first posed on a widely watched local television broadcast.
The cause of the grounding of the Wakashio It has yet to be revealed, although the ship’s captain has been detained. He has not made any comments yet.
Second major crisis caused by a maritime incident
French President Emmanuel Macron listens to a resident as he visits a devastated Beirut street, … [+]
This is the second time in a month that a government has been shocked by protests following a major maritime incident.
Following the August 4 explosion in the port of Beirut, which caused damage estimated at $ 15 billion, citizens quickly turned against the government after years of poor governance of public institutions.
French President Emmanuel Macron had previously tried to intervene in Beirut (as well as Mauritius), but received a hostile reception from a population expressing frustration and anger at their local leaders.
The Lebanese Cabinet subsequently resigned 6 days after the blast amid mounting public anger.
Melon-headed whales
Melon-headed whales are closely related to beluga whales (seen here) and narwhals.
At a press conference on Friday, August 28, Mauritian officials confirmed that many of the dead species on Mauritian beaches were melon-headed whales.
These species are mainly found in deep tropical waters. They are social animals and occur in groups of hundreds of individuals.
According to NOAA, melonhead whales also maintain a matrilineal social structure where females remain in groups with their mothers and sisters, and it is the males that move between groups. Melonhead whales are estimated to live to be 45 years old and can grow to be 9 feet long.
In the US, their populations are monitored in stock assessments that take place every four years and are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act like all marine mammals.
The biggest threats facing melon-headed whales around the world are being accidentally caught in tuna fishing nets, increased ocean noise, and marine pollution, especially heavy metals and man-made chemicals. Concentrations of chemicals such as perfluorocarbons and flame retardants have increased over time in whales, and concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in melon-headed whales in Hawaii and Japan are at levels believed to cause toxic effects. These chemicals were banned as refrigerants in the late 1970s, but they continue to have long-lasting effects on the marine environment.
