Mauritians are donating their hair to make booms to fight the oil spill threatening the island's ecosystem. Hair "has an extraordinary absorption capacity," according to collection coordinator Joséphine de Ravel.

Mauritius has declared an environmental emergency after a Japanese bulk carrier went aground offshore on July 25 and later began leaking oil into the ocean. A surge of solidarity is seeing citizens flock to the coast to make oil booms, used to counter the spread of an oil slick on the country's coastline. Mauritius and its 1.3 million inhabitants depend on the sea for food and tourism, which is crucial for the economy.