How The Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill Will Hurt Wildlife--Latest On Gulf Oil Spill Looks Awful
Posted: Sunday, May 02, 2010
by Steve Kovacs
The Kovacs Perspective
We have all seen pictures and videos of wildlife covered in black, sticky oil after an oil spill and we are starting to see it again near Louisiana. Common sense tells us that oil is bad for wildlife but do we really know how it specifically harms them? All forms of marine life suffer from the effects of an oil spill. There are different kinds of oil and some forms are more harmful to wildlife than others. This latest oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico is called crude oil which is an especially bad type for wildlife. Crude sticks to fur or feathers and causes numerous other problems.
An oil spill can damage the entire food chain in the area. Experts say the Louisiana State bird, the Brown Pelican, is most at risk for damage from this spill. In addition, seafood suppliers say oysters are likely to be hit first and the hardest by the spill, as they soak up the oil slick contaminated waters. Shrimp, crab, and even some varieties of fish are also expected to face major damage. According to Gregory Bossart, the chief veterinary officer for the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta "The coastline of Louisiana, with its barrier islands and estuaries, is a very unique ecosystem. It's very complex, plankton found in the estuaries nourish organisms all the way up the food chain. Crabs, mussels, oysters and shrimp feed on the plankton, he said. Also, "The estuaries here are a nursery ground, literally a nursery ground, for the entire fish population in this area."
In Montgomery Alabama, Destin Connection Seafood Market owner David Scott said, "Nothing is safe right now, especially in Alabama, Florida...all that's about to take a hit. Louisiana was hit today, and it's just going to be really devastating."
As of this writing, the oil spill is still leaking crude into the Gulf. Scott says the issue will likely worsen as the spill continues to leak into waters. "There will be such a build up on the water that the oxygen won't be able to get down to the crabs, and it'll wipe them out. Same for all your fish," Scott said.
Not much good news to report in this article. Tourists, environment, wildlife will all be negatively affected to some degree. Let's all hope experts come up with ways to make sure this kind of calamity does not happen again, and if it does, find more effective ways to contain it.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)This helped me so much with a school paper I had to do! Thanks!You're welcome!
This oil thing is such a tragedy for the sealife and plantlife, I don't know where to begin. The locals are in a bind, commercial fishing is now off-limits . . . just a sad situation for everyone and everything. Thanks for sharing another great article.Thank you sir!
Great article man! Dude, this oil spill could really hurt these animols, and now, that i see this article, ill be alot more careful when im boating. thanks fo the info bro!
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