Dakar faces down environmental, safety questions

The Dakar Rally kicks off its 34th edition today with question marks over the gruelling 8,400km event's environmental impact and safety record.

In all, 459 vehicles will blast their way from the Peruvian capital of Lima on their way to the finish line in Santiago, Chile on January 20.

The race that originated in 1978, when it traditionally started from Paris on New Year's Day and made its way to Africa, has been run on South American soil over the past five years as a result of security issues that hit the original route.

However, this year's edition has already come in for criticism after paleontologists warned that the heavy duty vehicles will once again pose a serious risk to whale and dolphin fossils dating back more than 20 million years.

AFP