On the 21st August the West Atlas drill rig began spewing 400 barrels of oil a day into the Timor Sea. One month on, the statistics paint a picture of a major ecological disaster in the making for Australia's marine environment:

·  1200 tonnes of oil have already polluted the ocean, making this the third largest oil spill in Australia's history and the single largest from an oil platform. The leak is still unplugged and will take another month to cap. This is a disaster that risks blowing out further in terms of its scale and impact on the marine environment.

·  The slick is covering thousands of square kilometres of ocean, with estimates from satellite imagery indicating the slick has spread to cover 15,000 km2 of sea. Research by WWF has estimated that 30,000 sea snakes may live in the area affected by the slick.

·  70,000 litres of dispersant have been sprayed on the sea. Dispersants can give a false sense of security. Often they are just moving the toxic problem from the surface to elsewhere in the water column.  The ocean north west of Australia is globally important for its marine wildlife. The spill has occurred right in the middle of a marine 'superhighway' for whales, turtles and seabirds and is close to unspoilt reefs and coral atolls.

Oil and wildlife just don't mix. The incoming reports of numbers of dead and oiled sea birds and sea snakes are just the tip of the iceberg. For every animal recovered dead, tens to hundreds of animals die unseen. The unfolding crisis for wildlife needs urgent attention. Take action at protectfloridasbeaches.org. Sign the petition. Write your legislators. Pass a resolution. Write letters to the editor. Spread the word. Join the Cause.