Big oil and dead dolphins, continued

This is called Shocking video as hundreds of dead dolphins wash ashore in Peru.

As mentioned in this blog before, in March 2012 there was a catastrophe for dolphins in Peru, linked to seismic blasts for oil exploration.

The main source for that blog post was an article in the Daily Express.

As I wrote then, the Daily Express is a conservative, pro-capitalist daily in England (so, any conservative comments about it supposedly all being lies by liberal leftie econuts blah blah blah would be off the mark).

However, perhaps from being conservative and pro-capitalist, the Daily Express did not mention which oil corporation or corporations might be involved in this disaster.

Another British conservative and pro-capitalist paper, the Daily Mail, also mentioned the dolphin mass deaths.

The Daily Mail article had some additional information:

The dead dolphins include babies and mothers who until recently were happily suckling, suggesting that healthy creatures were also affected.

Thousands of dead anchovies have also been washed up on the shoreline.

However, perhaps also from being conservative and pro-capitalist, the Daily Express did not mention which oil corporation or corporations might be involved in this disaster.

This article from Business Insider tells a bit more:

3,000 Dead Dolphins Have Washed Up On Peru’s Beaches — And Oil Exploration Could Be The Culprit

Adam Taylor

April 11, 2012

Locals in Peru have been left confused after just 3,000 dead dolphins washed up on one stretch of Peruvian coastline, according to reports in the country’s media.

Sure, dolphins do wash up on sure all the time, but this number is way above average.

Fingers are being pointed at one culprit — oil exploration.

Peruvian biologist Carlos Yaipen of the Scientific Organization for Conservation of Aquatic Animals argues to sonar or acoustic sensing, used to explore for oil, seems to be causing bubbles of nitrogen in the bloodstream and vital organs of aquatic mammals — a condition also known as “the bends” amongst deep sea divers.

Studies have discovered this unpleasant side affect before, and according to Offshore Magazine, one Houston-based oil company BPZ Energy has been looking for oil off the coast for over a year.

See also here.

Peru’s government declared a health alert along its northern coastline on Saturday and urged residents and tourists to stay away from long stretches of beach, as it investigates the unexplained deaths of hundreds of dolphins and pelicans: here.

November 2013: In October the European Parliament voted to make oil and gas exploration using underwater sonar subject to Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), as a significant step to reducing marine noise pollution: here.

Related articles

• Dolphin deaths mystery in Peru – Video (The Guardian Green) (oceansspirit.wordpress.com)
• Dolphins still dying 3 years after BP oil spill (abraveheart1.wordpress.com)
• Dolphins Brutally Slaughtered for Shark Bait in Peru (onegreenplanet.org)