Oil spills are a real threat to animal life in Indonesia

Environmental disasters in oil spills in Indonesia seem to have become commonplace. Indonesia is the country most threatened by the oil spill disaster if you look at the activities that occur Indonesian waters. Indonesian waters are the areas most frequently traversed by large ships from all over the world. More than 100 thousands of ships passing through the Strait of Malacca, Sunda Strait, Lombok Strait, Ombai Strait, Makassar Strait, Karimata Strait, Java Sea, Maluku Sea, and the Sulawesi Sea. The ships that pass in Indonesian waters carry oil, gas, chemical material, mining products or cargo containers. Apart from foreign ships, there are also thousands of domestic ships of various sizes sailing from one island to another. Accidents from these ships are one of the sources of disaster in Indonesian waters. As happened to 25 may year 2010 when KM Bunga Kelana 3 who transports 2.500 tons of oil, collided with KM Wally near the Philips Strait. as a result, crude oil as much 2.000 ton (14.600 barrel) covering the Straits of Malacca.

Apart from transportation, Indonesia is also a country that has a large number of oil and gas blocks. in the year 2019 recorded that Indonesia has 224 oil and gas block and more or less 532 offshore platform. Underwater oil and gas pipelines that stretch in Indonesian waters are also another threat to the occurrence of oil spills due to pipe leaks. like some time ago it happened in Karawang (12/7/2019) there was an oil and gas leak around the YYA-1 offshore platform in the Pertamina Hulu Energi Offshore North West Java area (PHE ONWJ). Also a pipe leak in Balikpapan last year 2018.

The magnitude of the threat of oil spills in Indonesia can also be seen from the cases that occurred up to 2019 then. From various sources it is known that approximately 40 Oil spill cases have occurred in Indonesia in the last two decades. Not to mention if it is added to the bad behavior that is sometimes carried out by ship users who throw used oil and the like into the sea.

What is the impact of an oil spill?

Oil spills have a very bad impact on marine and coastal ecosystems. The economic loss caused by this pollution is certainly very large, ranging from fishermen unable to go to sea to environmental damage. Impacts on the ecosystem are various damages to the mangrove ecosystem, Coral reefs, types of biota (fish, shell, Snail), abrasion occurs, seed loss. Mercury can also have a domino effect in its pollution where biota exposed to Mercury will accumulate Mercury in their bodies and if humans consume biota containing Mercury, humans will also be exposed to the Mercury.. The environmental damage caused by this oil spill if not handled properly will last a very long time. Like what happened on the coast of Breton, France. Until 40 years after the catastrophic oil spill from the tanker Amoco Cadiz, scientists are still finding major damage to local ecosystem food chains. Or in the south of the Gulf of Mexico, where is the oil spill from the Iztock I . oil rig 1979 still leaves damage to the Mangrove ecosystem.

Handling of oil spills in Indonesia for the environment and surrounding communities has begun in Indonesia, but we don't know if it has been implemented properly or not.. The impact of this disaster for the animals in the affected location is sometimes something that is not paid attention to because it has a fairly high level of difficulty so that it requires special specialization.. But, if not handled properly, These affected animals can be the beginning of a domino effect for the larger ecosystem. In addition, the direct impact can occur for animals if exposed to oil, ranging from movement disorders to death. if not handled properly, long-term impacts can cause the extinction of certain animals as presented in the following poster:

Currently (SCENTS) is committed to encouraging cooperation with related parties to strengthen the capacity to handle the impact of the oil spill in Indonesia, especially the handling of affected animals to preserve wildlife and the environment.

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