Over the weekendnews broke,打捞crews are beginning to pump the 500,000 gallons of fuel aboard the wrecked cruise linerCosta Concordia. The operation is a welcome relief to environmentalists, who worried that a fuel leak would be devastating to the local flora and fauna, especially in the protected marine sanctuary where the wreck lies.

I had heard that the area whereCosta Concordiaran aground was part of a marine sanctuary, so I decided to learn more about it. The island of Giglio is one of seven islands that are part of Italy’sTuscan Archipelago National Park. The park claims to be the largest marine sanctuary in Europe, protecting some 140,000 acres of sea, and tens of thousands of acres of land. The national park is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.Read more