The dangers of an oil spill in the Strait of Hormuz and damage to the ecosystem of the Persian Gulf. Oil pollution threatens dolphins, turtles and fish species.
Satellite image analysis shows that eight months of war between the U.S. and Iran have transformed the Strait of Hormuz into an environmental crisis. Followed attacks on oil tankers with rockets and mines have created huge dark spots that threaten the lives of dolphins, sea turtles and fish.
Experts warn that the Strait of Hormuz has a very fragile ecosystem, including coral reefs and mangrove forests. Due to the shallowness of the Persian Gulf and the extreme heat, there is no cold water to moderate the pollution. By blocking the roots of mangroves and birds, oil causes permanent and irreversible damage.
Greenpeace identified more than 500 oil spills stretching around 20,000 square kilometers. Since the beginning of the war, more than 133 attacks have been recorded on vessels, and the worst leaks have been associated with the oil tank Jam No. 2 and damage white tanks.
The oil pollution has now reached sensitive coastal areas such as mangroves, the protected island of Shidar, Kish Island, Musandam National Park and the Minab River Delta. Although the UAE and Oman have carried out limited clean-up operations, accurate information on the ground is impossible to obtain due to the naval blockade.
The persistence of oil in coastal sediments and in the food chain could paralyze the region's ecosystem for decades. Comparing the current crisis with previous wars in the Persian Gulf, experts warn that the tar deposits will remain for generations and the survival of creatures such as turtles will face irreversible danger.
Read the details in Akhtaznews.