Black and blue

POINTE D’ESNY, MAURITIUS, 17 AUGUST

Oil leaks into the sea around Mauritius from the MV Wakashio, a Japanese-owned cargo ship that ran aground on a coral reef while en route to Brazil.

Mauritian seas host a wide range of unique species, so the resulting pollution from the oil released threatens thousands of animals and plants. Coral bleaching from hydrocarbons in the oil will also damage the species that rely on the coral reefs. As Mauritius’s biodiversity attracts a large number of tourists, it is expected that that part of the economy will suffer as a result of the spill.