Urgent review of Woodside billion-dollar WA gas project needed to protect threatened snake, government advisers say

The official conservation advice from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee said the dusky sea snake’s last remaining stronghold was Scott Reef, where Woodside’s gas project will drill. Photograph: Chris Malam

Conservation scientists advising the federal government have called for fossil fuel activity in the location of Woodside’s proposed multibillion gas project to be urgently reviewed to protect the stronghold of an endangered sea snake.

The dusky sea snake, Aipysurus fuscus, was placed on the country’s threatened species list this week and is known only to exist on a small number of reefs off the Western Australia Kimberley coastline.