TIMOR SEA OIL SPILL - PICTURES
25 Oct 09
W.W.F. pictures hit the streets......
how come the Age didn't print these ??????,
All photographs care of The Gaurdian u.k..co - see the full gallery at ;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2009/oct/23/timor-sea-oil-spill?lightbox=1
This satellite image from 18 September highlights the extent of new and weathered oil in and around the Montara well head platform. Although the satellite imagery is not indicating the spill extending out to Ashmore or Cartier reefs, aerial observations have indicated the presence of a very light patchy sheen at Cartier and east of Ashmore. Sheen is of a silver colour in appearance and is around 0.0001 mm in thickness. While the sheen is not considered to be harmful if it comes into contact with the shoreline, it can still be a concern to birdlife in the area
Photograph: AMSA
Do we have to swim in this ?????
A bottlenose dolphin. At least two bottlenose and a spinner dolphin showed signs of emaciation, though other animals appeared healthy. This pod was in an area of extensive light sheen with large low density wax particles, the WWF said
Photograph: Chris Sanderson/WWF
Dolphins, migratory sea birds, sea snakes and turtles have been found swimming in one of the worst oil spills in Australia's history. As engineers launched a fourth attempt to staunch the 64-day old leak today, the WWF released a report warning that the slick, which is about 550km north of Darwin, is killing hundreds and possibly thousands of marine animals. Satellite images show a 25,000 square kilometre slick spreading across the surface of the ocean and spilling into Indonesian waters, threatening the marine reserves of Ashmore and Cartier reefs
Photograph: MODIS/Terra/NASAS
An aerial view of the clean-up operations. Llewellyn says experience from previous oil disasters suggests the damage will be long lasting. "We know that oil can be a slow and silent killer. Impacts from the Exxon Valdez disaster are still being seen 20 years later, so we can expect this environmental disaster will continue to unfold for years to come," she said Photograph: AMSA