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BANGALORE – A dead blue whale stranded in northern Sri Lanka, the last of several bodies of marine animals washed ashore in recent weeks – a phenomenon locals attribute to a cargo ship fire in May.
The blue whale was found on Tuesday (June 15) on the island of Kayts, off the Jaffna peninsula, an official from the Marine Environment Protection Agency (Mepa) said.
Most of the other dead marine species were washed up on the shore of the southwestern coastal belt.
There were carcasses of five dolphins and over 30 sea turtles, in addition to dead fish and eels.
A Singaporean-flagged freighter, the X-Press Pearl, caught fire on May 20 near the capital Colombo, raising concerns of a devastating impact on the region’s marine life.
Oil, chemicals and plastic granules spilled from the ship’s deck into the sea.
The ocean is home to several species of large marine mammals such as non-migratory blue whales, humpback whales and pilot whales; long-beaked, spotted and bottlenose dolphins; and thresher and white tip sharks.
The Department of Wildlife Conservation performs autopsies on the tissues of dead animals.
So far, none of the reported deaths have been attributed to the ship crash.
Mepa has yet to fully assess the additional costs to wildlife and the marine environment.
Sri Lankans have shared distressing photos of dead marine life on social media, demanding a quick investigation into the cause of death.
Many accuse the ship accident of endangering an already stressed marine ecosystem.
Posting the photos of dead dolphins on the Report Dead Marine Animals in Sri Lanka Facebook page, Fisheries Officer Iromi Mendis wrote: “Poor animals pay compensation for human errors.
Another internet user Ravindu Thatsara asked, “Why are there no test results yet?
The Sri Lankan navy is cleaning up tons of plastic pellets that now cover many beaches on the southwest coast, such as in Kalpitiya.
White fish egg-like pellets, often referred to as “poisonous snow,” are stubborn pollutants that choke small marine life and block the digestive tract of swallowing fish, starving them.
While many residents blame the ship’s fire for dead marine life, experts say the impact on large marine animals remains to be seen.
Dr Asha de Vos, marine biologist and founder of Oceanswell, Sri Lanka’s premier marine conservation research organization, said marine animals die throughout the year and are washed ashore, and that not all deaths can be attributed to the vessel.
“Pellets choke small fish, but researchers around the world studying microplastics have found no evidence of large animals dying from ingesting plastic pellets,” added Dr de Vos, who studies blue whales. in the Indian Ocean.
Conservation biologist Ranil Nanayakkara said the deaths may simply be more noticeable now due to the acute attention authorities have given to the ocean since the ship burned down.
But he did not rule out pollutants traveling far from the ship.
“The chemicals and plastic granules that have spilled out of the ship can travel with water columns, winds and monsoon currents not only to the northern coast of Sri Lanka, but also to India further south. north of us, “said Dr Nanayakkara.
If the pellets move up the coast, they could destroy the pristine seagrass beds of the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka, critical habitat for a small population of dugongs, as well as sharks, rays, seahorses and others. shrimp.
“Whales are very large, so we haven’t yet seen if they are affected by pollution. But it’s worrying because these mammals are a big and crucial carbon sink in our seas,” added Dr Nanayakkara.
Sri Lanka is seeking an interim claim of US $ 40 million (S $ 53.5 million) from the vessel’s operator, X-Press Feeders.
The amount is compensation for fire fighting expenses from May 20 to June 1.
Fishing has been banned in the area since the incident, and the Fisheries Ministry offered compensation to fishermen who suffered loss of income.
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