Shipwreck threatens penguin colony on South Atlantic island

A wrecked ship is threatening to cause an environmental disaster on an island which is home to endangered penguins, conservationists warn.

The vessel has grounded on Nightingale Island, part of the Tristan da Cunha UK overseas territory in the South Atlantic, causing an oil slick around the island which is home to nearly half the world's population of northern rockhopper penguins.

Some 1,500 tons of heavy crude oil from the MS Olivia, which was shipping soya beans between Rio de Janeiro and Singapore, is leaking into the sea.

According to the RSPB, oil now surrounds Nightingale Island and extends into a slick eight miles offshore, threatening the endangered penguins and the economically important rock lobster fishery.

Hundreds of penguins have already been seen coming ashore covered in oil, the wildlife charity said.

The shipwreck could also lead to any rats onboard colonising the island and posing a huge risk to the native seabird populations - whose chicks and eggs could be eaten by the invasive rodents.

The Tristan da Cunha islands, in particular Nightingale and its neighbor Middle Island, are home to millions of nesting seabirds. There are more than 200,000 northern rockhopper penguins on the island.

RSPB research biologist Richard Cuthbert said: "The consequences of this wreck could be potentially disastrous for wildlife and the fishery-based economy of these remote islands.

"The Tristan da Cunha islands, especially Nightingale and adjacent Middle Island, hold millions of nesting seabirds as well as four out of every 10 of the world population of the globally endangered northern rockhopper penguin."

And he said: "If the vessel happens to be harboring rats and they get ashore, then a twin environmental catastrophe could arise. Nightingale is one of two large islands in the Tristan da Cunha group that are rodent-free. If rats gain a foothold their impact would be devastating."

Trevor Glass, Tristan conservation officer, said: "The scene at Nightingale is dreadful as there is an oil slick encircling the island. The Tristan conservation team are doing all they can to clean up the penguins that are currently coming ashore. It is a disaster."

Source:
The Guardian,"Shipwreck threatens penguin colony on South Atlantic island",accessed March 31, 2011

Hawaii wildfire threatens protected rainforest

Specialized firefighting teams Wednesday battled a remote wildfire touched off by the eruption of the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island, which has burned some 2,000 acres of national park land.

The fire threatens a fragile, protected rain forest, officials said.

Authorities do not know when they will be able to contain the spreading fire, which was being fanned by strong, gusty trade winds, said Gary Wuchner, a spokesman for the National Park Service.

"It's a very remote fire," he said. "We just can't get to it."

Specialized firefighting teams from western U.S. states arrived to battle the blaze, some to rappel into fire-stricken areas and others to fight the fire on the ground along its perimeters, he said.

Firefighters also dropped water on hot spots from helicopters, Wuchner said.

The wildfire was caused by lava from the March 5 eruption of the volcano's Kamoamoa fissure, (left) and is burning about seven miles southeast of the Kilauea Visitor Center, located on the volcano's east rift in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Authorities hope to protect a lowland rain forest on the east rift that is home to endangered Hawaiian bats, happy face spiders, carnivorous caterpillars and Hawaiian honeycreepers, all found only in Hawaii, the park service said.

Because of the rain forest, firefighters have opted not to let the fire simply burn itself out, Wuchner said.

"It's a remnant forest and if we lose it, it's gone forever," Wuchner said. The wildfire is only about three-quarters of a mile from the forest boundary, he said. "It's pretty close," he said. The fire has burned about 2,000 acres, Wuchner said.

Kilauea is one of five volcanoes that formed the Big Island, officially known as the island of Hawaii. Periodic eruptions of the volcano have destroyed 213 homes since the volcano emerged from a period of dormancy in 1983.

The latest episode began with the collapse of the floor of the Pu'u O'o crater and opening of the 535-yard-long Kamoamoa fissure on March 5.


Source:
Reuters,"Hawaii wildfire threatens protected rainforest", accessed March 22, 2011