It was inevitable that this would happen.
These Brown Pelicans Are Awaiting Treatment For Oil Damage. Photo: The International Bird Rescue Research Center
Despite the fact that the US Gulf Coast continues to experience and suffer from the largest oil spill in living history, the number of birds and other wildlife visibly injured and killed by the oil has remained surprisingly low—until now.
According to the latest figures published by the disaster response coordinators, over the past week birds covered in oil, both alive and dead, have started turning up in much greater numbers. Between 2nd of June 2010 and the 9th of June 2010, the total numbers of birds affected have been collected alive along the coastlines of the five affected Gulf states (but mainly in and around the shore of Louisiana) rose from 82 to 442. During the same period, the number of birds found both alive and dead has increased from 604 to 1075.
Evidently these numbers are still low for a disaster of this size however, the sharp rise in the numbers is worrying, especially since British Petroleum and the United States government have yet to find a solution to stop oil leak.
Wildlife organizations are managing to help some of the birds recovered alive by cleaning the feathers, giving them clean water and food, and eventually releasing them. However, many birds are so ill by the toxins that they will either die or must be destroyed.
In addition to harming the adult bird population, the oil is cataclysmically disastrous to the young. Nesting Pelicans have been returning to their nests with their feathers coated in oil which then covers the shells of the eggs and the young birds with harmful oil. The oil kills young birds and prevents eggs from hatching.
By the way, pelicans really need our help right now. There’s a petition on Change.org titled “Save U.S. pelicans”, and I’d love your support. You can sign the petition in less than 30 seconds by clicking the link below: http://animals.change.org/petitions/view/please_help_us_to_save_our_pelicans Thanks so much for the help! nellypc
The oil spill in the gulf is undoubtedly one of the most disgraceful diasters of this millennium. While the destruction of the twin towers was limited to that relatively small space of ground zero, this oil spill stretches out across the ocean, upon innocent animals, long stretches of coast and also industry of the southern USA. I really pray that this atrocity is solved as best as is possible.
WOW. I found this blog on Bing poking around for something completely unrelated- now I’m going to have to go back and go through all the archives
Good bye free time this Sunday!
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Dear All,
I am delighted to see that you are taking interest in this terrible disaster that has occurred. I will be working there first hand over the next three to six months and if you would like, I will send you information on the clean up operation and some pictures of our progress. If you would like me to do this, please send me an email and I will be delighted to see you post this.
Regards
Edward