August 26, 2020
WHERE TO LISTEN:
in this episode
On July 25th, a Japanese cargo ship carrying 4,000 tons of oil and diesel ran aground off the coast of Mauritius, a small island nation east of Madagascar. Less than two weeks later, oil began to spill out. And while this spill was relatively contained within a couple weeks, the negative impacts on this marine ecosystem and Mauritius as a nation will likely be long lasting.
In this episode we are joined by Dr. Steven Murawski and Dr. David Hollander, marine biologists who worked on the clean-up and assessment of the biggest oil spill in human history….Deepwater Horizon in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico. We learn more about these spills, why they happen, the damages they cause, and what may lie ahead of Mauritius and its precious biodiversity haven.
The efforts to minimize the damages are underway, but please, if you can, consider making a donation to The Mauritius Wildlife Foundation. Every penny counts.
Listen here, on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
Also learn more about the work of Dr. Murawski and Dr. Hollander and their C-IMAGE III team here.
EPISODE NOTES:
(0:44) Details of the Mauritius spill
(6:57) Why the type of oil in this spill is worrisome
(8:04) The Mauritius Mangrove Forests and the threat this poses to these beacons of biodiversity
(16:49) Why it’s hard for smaller nations like Mauritius to act quickly in containing an oil spill
(20:35) Revisiting The Deepwater Horizon Spill of 2010 and what we learned from it
(29:38) The challenges of regulating oil rigs and oil cargo
(34:40) The impact this poses on Mauritius inhabitants
(37:20) A look into Mauritius Wildlife and the dangers ahead
(41:17) A reflection on how this fits into the larger themes of climate and social justice