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   Mauritius oil spill images: Mauritius declared a state of "environmental emergency" following major oil spill from a Japanese bulk carrier which ran aground off Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. At least 1,000 tonnes of oil is estimated to have leaked from the ship onto the waters surrounding Mauritius. Some 500 tonnes of oil have been salvaged from the ship, but there are still 2,500 tonnes remaining on the ship. Let us take a look at some of the images:

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   Satellite images show a dark slick spreading in the turquoise waters near wetlands that the government called very sensitive. (AP Photo)

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   Environmentalists fear the oil spill is the worst ecological disaster the island nation of Mauritius had seen. (AP Photo)

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   Wildlife workers and volunteers, ferried dozens of baby tortoises and rare plants from an island near the spill, Ile aux Aigrettes, to the mainland. (Reuters Photo)

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   This accident would endanger its marine ecology and the pristine waters that attract tourists from around the globe. (AP Photo)

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   University students and members of the local Lions and Rotary clubs are among the volunteers. (AP Photo)

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   It's a major challenge for the volunteers, because the oil is not only floating in the lagoon, it's already washing up on the shore. (Reuters Photo)

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   This photo shows debris in Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius after it leaked from the MV Wakashio, a bulk carrier ship that recently ran aground off the southeast coast of Mauritius. (AP Photo)

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   The coral reefs had begun to regenerate and the lagoon was getting back its coral gardens but now this might all be killed again by the oil spill. (AP Photo)

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    Thousands of students, environmental activists and residents of Mauritius are working around the clock to reduce the damage done to the Indian Ocean island from an oil spill after a ship ran aground on a coral reef. (Reuters Photo)

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    Mauritius, famous for its pristine beaches, is popular with tourists who last year contributed 63 billion Mauritius rupees ($1.6 billion) to the economy. (AP Photo)