How oil spills harm birds, dolphins, sea lions and other wildlife
CNNCNN — An oil spill like the one off the coast of Southern California is a disaster on many levels – maybe none more tragic than the deadly effects of petroleum on wildlife. “These critters are living right where the floating oil accumulates,” says ecologist Sean Anderson, a professor of environmental science at California State University Channel Islands, adding, “This oil is toxic to everything.” Here’s a closer look at how some species of marine life are affected by oil spills. Two dolphins were found dead after a May 2015 oil spill near Santa Barbara, California, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Mike Aguilera/SeaWorld San Diego via Getty Images Unlike dolphins, sea lions are territorial and less likely to flee their coastal region, even if it gets fouled with oil, Anderson says. “They are incredibly important to a range of species.” Lobsters An oil-covered lobster lies dead after an oil spill off Refugio State Beach in May 2015 near Santa Barbara, California.
History of this topic
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