Silicon Valley SynBio Firms In Race To Save Mauritius Unique Biodiversity From Oil Spill

  • Date: 08-Sep-2020
  • Source: Forbes
  • Sector:Oil & Gas
  • Country:Oman
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Silicon Valley SynBio Firms In Race To Save Mauritius Unique Biodiversity From Oil Spill

Mauritian crabs drenched in oil along the beaches of Mauritius. Videos shared widely show the oil ... [+] being embedded in the sandy layers below the surface where many beach-dwelling species live.



Photo: Beata Albert

As the true enormity dawns of the large oil spill in Mauritius caused by Japanese bulk carrier, The Wakashio, Silicon Valley synthetic biology companies have been racing to offer support to the Indian Ocean island famous for its rare biodiversity.

In the 44 days since the incident, around 50 whales and dolphins have washed up dead on the Mauritian coastline, a mysterious brown substance has appeared within the protected Blue Bay Marine Park and over 32 kilometers of the Mauritian coastline has been declared a restricted area, keeping citizens