Wild about wildlife!

    

I suppose it’s pretty obvious that this week’s postings are primarily devoted to how and to what extend the oil spill has affected coastal wildlife.  Because wildlife is so important to our ecosystem, I’ve decided to take this week to really provide general knowledge to better understand the reality of these outcomes so you readers can analyze the material more effectively.

So now here are some answers to the questions I left for you all to ponder from the last post…
          The Australian Maritime Safety Authority provides information on just how different types of oil can harm wildlife.  It says that depending on the type of oil, the location of the spill, the local wildlife, breeding cycles and migrations, and the weather at the time of the spill all contribute the specific effects to wildlife.  It also states that the oil sticks to the feathers of birds and flippers of marine mammals causing them to struggle to float or escape predators, and can furthermore result in hypothermia for both by decreasing the amount of insulation; it goes on to say that the pollutants from the oil and the toxins can cause injuries as severe as inflammation of internal organs, infections, ulcers, and bleeding in the stomach.
          Even more, the oil spill has disturbed the natural habitats for wildlife breeding and migration.  The Gulf’s inland and marsh areas are where a large amount of breeding and eggs laying occurs for both birds and turtles.  The brown pelican, Louisiana’s state bird, was just taken off of the endangered species list last fall and therefore have laid eggs in Breton National Wildlife Refuge in an attempt to keep it from being put back on the list.  In reference to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority information again, this material explains how the contamination of breeding sites can cause fewer eggs to be laid, if any are, and that the shells of the eggs may become thinner.  Additionally, an article from National Geographic is concerned with the safety and health of birds migrating south this fall.  Although the oil leakage has ceased, it could nonetheless be a risk to these birds as there is still evidence of oil residue and environmental damage.
          Now that we see the causes and effects on wildlife due to the Gulf oil spill, I will next look into how this connects more to the environment! Stay tuned!