An oil spill in the South Atlantic disrupts the very foundation of the Southern Ocean food web. Antarctic krill (*Euphausia superba*) face immediate threats as oil slicks coat the water surface. This prevents oxygen exchange and blocks sunlight. Because krill rely on seasonal sea ice for protection and feeding, toxic hydrocarbons can settle into the ice. This contamination kills larvae and disrupts their lifecycle. Since krill are the primary food source for higher predators, their decline triggers a domino effect through the ecosystem.
Southern right whales (*Eubalaena australis*) suffer through both direct contact and starvation. Pregnant females migrating to calving grounds might swim through toxic plumes. Ingesting oil or inhaling fumes damages their lungs and reproductive organs. This lowers calf survival rates. If the krill population crashes, whales encounter
