894 birds, 281 sea turtles, and 57 mammals as having perished as a direct result of the BP the oil spill in addition to currently 1466 oil-slicked, but alive birds, turtles, and mammals as of June 7th. Animals that undergo treatment and clean up efforts may survive however there long term effects remain unknown as to what oil absorption and ingestion will do to them.June 22nd a large sperm whale is reported floating in the sea, 77 miles north of the spill. A necropcy confirmed it was the toxic BP sludge pouring into the ocean that has killed it. The large sperm whale was discovered Tuesday. The condition of the corpse suggests it may have been dead for more than a week.
The sperm whale is a toothed whale that lives in pods. It has a huge brain that weighs about 20 pounds it is the largest brain of any animal. The sperm whale has a single blowhole that is s-shaped and about 20 inches long. The blowhole is located on the left side of the front if it’s huge head. The sperm whale has a 4-12 inch thick layer of blubber.
US wildlife officials are investigating whether the deaths of six dolphins on the Gulf Coast are related to the massive oil spill. As you can see from this photo at right they were found covered in crude.
Tests are being run now to clarify if the oil spill was the contributing factor in the dolphins deaths. The dolphin carcasses have ben found in Louisians, Mississippi and Alabama since May 2nd.
There are 3,000 to 5,000 dolphins in and around Mississippi waters and an estimated 75,000 in the Gulf of Mexico.
Dozens of dead sea turtles have also been found.
The biggest threat to wildlife is the encroachment the spill is making toward the Breton National Wildlife Refuge.
At the heart of the region mow threatened by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill isa chain of islands containing tens of thousands of seabirds. Thin ribbons of sand rising no higher than 19 feet out of the gulf protect these islands —
part of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge — currently hold at least 2,000 nesting pairs of brown pelicans, 5,000 pairs of royal terns, 5,000 pairs of Caspian terns, and 5,000 pairs of various seagulls and shorebirds. Earlier this week, strong winds and barrier-like booms kept the oil slick from washing ashore on Breton Island, the Chandeleur Islands, and other links in the refuge. But the National Audubon Society reported May 5 that oil had reached the beaches of the Chandeleurs, putting the abundant birdlife there in peril.
Oil-boom barriers have been placed along the shores of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge. More than 100 years of environmental protection of bird and marine life in the Gulf of Mexico is
threatened by the toxic BP spill.. Since the oil boom in the gulf over the last half-century, the islands — totaling 18,000 acres, only 7,000 of which are above the mean high tide line — have endured many insults, including an oil spill several years ago that killed hundreds of brown pelicans. The biggest threat to Breton Island has already hit and the boom is not really doing any good. as you can see from this endangered brown pelican exhausted and covered in this toxic mess.
The biggest threat to wildlife is the encroachment the spill is making toward the Breton National Wildlife Refuge.
At the heart of the region mow threatened by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill isa chain of islands containing tens of thousands of seabirds. Thin ribbons of sand rising no higher than 19 feet out of the gulf protect these islands —
part of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge — currently hold at least 2,000 nesting pairs of brown pelicans, 5,000 pairs of royal terns, 5,000 pairs of Caspian terns, and 5,000 pairs of various seagulls and shorebirds. Earlier this week, strong winds and barrier-like booms kept the oil slick from washing ashore on Breton Island, the Chandeleur Islands, and other links in the refuge. But the National Audubon Society reported May 5 that oil had reached the beaches of the Chandeleurs, putting the abundant birdlife there in peril.Oil-boom barriers have been placed along the shores of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge. More than 100 years of environmental protection of bird and marine life in the Gulf of Mexico is
threatened by the toxic BP spill.. Since the oil boom in the gulf over the last half-century, the islands — totaling 18,000 acres, only 7,000 of which are above the mean high tide line — have endured many insults, including an oil spill several years ago that killed hundreds of brown pelicans. The biggest threat to Breton Island has already hit and the boom is not really doing any good. as you can see from this endangered brown pelican exhausted and covered in this toxic mess. Join our branch of M.A.R.S. - Marine Animal Rescue Society today so that when it does come into the Florida regions we can pool together and do what ever we can to help these animals. We will be contacting Florida Fish and Wildlife and Sea World to commit our services when the group is large enough and trained. Please contact Tina O'Connell @ 407.346.3441 to join today.
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