Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Oil may not be washing upon the shores of the Gulf in vast slicks, but that doesn’t mean it’s disappeared. Here, Defenders’ own Tim Male holds solid proof in his hands that oil remains a part of Louisiana beaches used by people and wildlife alike.

As tar balls such as these continue to float in from the ocean, they’re still a threat to imperiled Gulf species like Kemp’s ridley sea turtles and brown pelicans that depend on a healthy marine ecosystem to survive. For example, if sea turtles ingest even small amounts of oil from the water or their food, over time, it can accumulate in their bodies and harm or kill them.

Tim’s “big ol’ patty of tar” is a dark reminder that the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster is far from over – and efforts to restore and rehabilitate the Gulf of Mexico have only just begun. Click here to see what you can do to help wildlife that continues to be impacted by oil in Gulf waters, and prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again.

Defenders continues to be impressed with people across the country who are finding creative ways to bring attention to the oil tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico that has taken the lives of thousands of animals  and contaminated the region’s natural habitats.

One Eyed Rhyno, a musical group comprised of brother and sister James and Elaine Hunter and longtime friend, Andrew Daniels. Their mission is to rock with a cause.  These teens are not only turning heads with their sound, but also with their drive to do something.
 
Their single, “The Bird,” addresses the devastating and deadly conditions that impact wildlife after an oil spill. The band’s lead singer, James, originally wrote the song when he was 10 years old after learning about the Exxon Valdez spill. In the aftermath of the Gulf oil disaster, he decided to record the song and release it to raise awareness and money to help restore the area’s devastated ecosystem.

Find out what you can do to help save wildlife and prevent the next offshore drilling disaster.

A green winged teal, one of the ducks threatened by the spill. Photo courtesy of Tom Munson, US Fish and Game

By October, large numbers of migratory birds will flock south to the Gulf of Mexico after a summer spent in Canada’s Boreal Forest. Ready to spend the winter in Louisiana marshes - typically rich with food -  these ducks have no idea what’s in store for them when they touch down. What impacts will a vastly different Gulf region have on these birds?

Dr. Jeff Wells, senior scientist for the Boreal Songbird Initiative, an organization dedicated to outreach and education about the importance of the Boreal Forest region to North America’s birds, other wildlife and the global environment, addresses this very question in a new article, “Gulf oil spill puts million of Canada’s migratory birds at risk.”

“The Gulf Coast, especially the Mississippi River Delta, is vitally important for many wetland bird species. The marshes, beaches and tidal flats provide ideal nesting and migratory stopover habitat for millions of waterfowl, seabirds, shorebirds and other waterbirds. These habitats also house the fish, mollusks and other marine life of the Gulf of Mexico, which make up the food supply for these birds. Scientists worry that the impact on some of the smaller food sources like plankton could have a far-reaching ripple effect on the entire food chain.”

Click here to read the full article and learn more about what awaits Canada’s migratory birds upon their return to the Gulf of Mexico.

See an interview with Defenders chief scientist Chris Haney as he reflects on his recent trip down to the Gulf, carrying out a project aboard NOAA’s ”Nancy Foster” as part of an official federal response to the Gulf oil disaster. Chris was looking for the kinds of damages that marine life had experienced as a result of the spill, specifically signs of oiling, signs of distress, any carcasses or dead birds and the general abundance of seabirds found very far away from land.

“Looking at the oil as the sun broke the horizon, it was a rainbow sheen of oil as far as you could see. It was, quite honestly, the ugliest ocean water I’ve ever seen.”

Photo courtesy of USFWS

Kayla DiBenedetto is a fisheries biologist in the Baton Rouge Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office in Louisiana.

“The way I figure it, for the last 3 ½ years I have had the best of two worlds: I’m working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service doing what I love; and my field station is located in my hometown. I was born and raised in Baker, LA, 30 minutes north of Baton Rouge.  So I guess you could say that Louisiana’s coasts and wetlands with their abundant fish and wildlife resources are my “native habitat” and have helped shape who I am today. Read the full story

Photo courtesy of NOAA

After abandoning the rest of his life to hurriedly catch the research vessel Walton Smith on its voyage from Gulfport, Mississippi, bound for Miami, Florida, biologist David S. Lee settled into a familiar routine of the sea watch. Given how far north the ship remained during the afternoon of June 7, he was not really expecting much in the way of interesting bird life. The ocean, however, has an uncanny way of delivering surprises to a persistent researcher, and Dave is very persistent.  Read the full story