Oil Spills and Wildlife.

As many people know if oil enters any body of water it is going to have a great effect on the on wildlife living in and around the body of water. What most people do not realize is that it is estimated that “706 million gallons of waste oil enters the ocean every year, with over half coming from land drainage and waste disposal. Offshore drilling and production operations and spills or leaks from ships or tankers typically contribute less than 8 percent of the total. The remainder comes from routine maintenance of ships (nearly 20 percent), hydrocarbon particles from onshore air pollution (about 13 percent), and natural seepage from the sea floor (over 8 percent).” (Oil Spills: Impact on the Ocean)

There are many immediate effects of an oil spill . For example oil spills have the potential to wipe out entire species of fish. When a large amount of a species of fish are extinct or almost extinct this has many effects of both humans and other wildlife. Fish are of great importance to the food chain. They essential to other aquatic life as well as land dwelling animals, like birds. One of the main problems with oil spills is the aquatic life that manages to live through is often effected by many long term problems. One of the most devastating is the oils effect on the reproductive systems. When oil is first spilled into the ocean it floats on the surface of the water, this effects many smaller organisms, like plankton, that fish feed off of. It also kills any fish eggs that also float on the surface of the water. Many other animals can become contaminated by eating other animals that are contaminated. SInce the reproductive systems are damaged the animals that are close to becoming extinct can not populate the area. 

When birds and animals that have fur come in contact with the animals it kills the fur and feathers ability to insulate the animal. Which can cause many of them to die from hypothermia. Oil can also cause a bird to lose their ability to fly and their buoyancy, which hinders their ability to be able to land in the water, which cam cause the bird to drown. Animals with fur and feathers often try to clean the oil off of themselves by licking themselves. This causes the animal to directly ingest  the oil. This can cause the animal to die immediately. But f it doesn’t it  will effect the animals main organs eventually causing death. Animals like seals and sea lions can ingest the oil well they’re breathing, resting at shore, or by eating other contaminated species. 

Some long term effects on birds and mammals  are things like suppression to the immune system, skin irritation, organ damage, adrenal system damage, and damage to the behavior of the animal. Of all these effects can eventually cause death. 

Oil spills have no positive effect on wildlife or any body of water. Many of the spills can be prevented. As long as people who own boats and cars dispose of the oil properly that will help greatly reduce the oil that enter the ocean yearly. Common people  can’t be responsible for big oil spills like B.P. Oil spill, but we can help. We can help by helping rescuing animals, and with the overall cleanup. As long as everyone does there part we can reduce our out put.

                                      Gulf Oil spill Killing Thousands of Animals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHNtcqksWwg

http://www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com/pollution-effects.html

http://alaska.fws.gov/media/unalaska/Oil%20Spill%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf