Vic: Phillip Island penguins caught in oil spill

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-2001
Vic: Phillip Island penguins caught in oil spill

MELBOURNE, Dec 14 AAP - More than 200 of Phillip Island's famous fairy penguins were
being cleaned of oil today after a spill fouled four beaches there.

The island, south-east of Melbourne, is renowned for its cute residents who thrill
tourists with their beach parades at sunset.

Marine Board chief executive John Lord said 230 of the marine birds were contaminated
when they swam ashore last night. Volunteers collected them and took them to a rehabilitation
centre.

No wildlife was known to have died from the spill, but the full extent of the spill
is not yet known, nor where it came from, Mr Lord said.

The clean-up, involving about 50 people, began yesterday and continued today.

"The clean-up operation is highly labour intensive, as rocks and hard to reach areas
on the shore need to be cleaned by hand," Mr Lord said.

"We expect (it) to take at least three to four days."

Oil was found on Thorny, Smiths, Summerland and Hutchinsons beaches on the island.

The Environment Protection Authority had taken samples of the oil and was investigating
its source.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority had provided a list of all the ships that
passed Phillip Island in recent days, Mr Lord said.

AAP ra/jlw/tnf/sb /

KEYWORD: SPILL

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