Oil spill caused by the war in Iran threatens marine life in the Persian Gulf
Large-scale oil spills from damaged tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (in the area of Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah) have put the region's unique marine ecosystems at risk.
Arabs news reports this.
Footage and satellite images (including data from the European Union's Copernicus Sentinel-2 and the Reuters and AP agencies) have recorded the consequences of the accident, which are now being dealt with on the beaches of the UAE.
A group of biologists from the University of Oxford, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Saudi Arabia), and the Mubadala Arab Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences at New York University Abu Dhabi are sounding the alarm. The Persian Gulf is a shallow, enclosed sea with limited water exchange through the Strait of Hormuz.
The situation is aggravated by extreme natural conditions: in summer, the water temperature rises above 35°C, and there is high salinity and a low level of oxygen. Because of this, it is difficult for local organisms to cope with the additional stress from anthropogenic pollution.
The region is represented by many unique biotopes: coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangrove forests, salt marshes, and mudflats.
As a result of the spill, at least 35 species of fish, rays, and sharks are under threat of extinction, and another 15 are close to that status, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Oil also has a devastating effect on mangrove thickets, clogging their aerial roots — the consequences may last for decades. The fuel also causes severe damage to coral reefs and to the breeding grounds of seabirds and turtles.
According to the expert specialists, even if hostilities cease, the region faces a long, complex, and costly operation. Under the influence of currents and winds, the oil settles in bottom sediments, which makes the cleanup an extremely difficult process. Environmentalists insist on the need to take emergency measures to protect protected areas and prevent oil from washing up on the coast.
