The oil that began leaking with the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig on April 20th continues to spill into the gulf. This oil spill is now the worst in U.S. history.The spill is taking a heavy toll on wildlife. More than 800 dead animals, including birds, fish, and dolphins, have been found in areas affected by the spill. The number of affected animals seems to have been increasing in the last few days.
Oil is hard to clean up. Try rubbing some olive oil and canola oil on your hair to see how hard it is to clean off. Now imagine trying to clean crude oil off your whole body using your mouth. Oil-coated birds are unable to keep the oil off their feathers, but while there is oil on their feathers they are unable to fly. Rehabilitators are trying to clean some of the birds by rubbing them with vegetable oil, which breaks down the heavier oil, and then washing them with detergents. Because the oil from the spill is toxic, not all cleaned birds will survive.
Scientists are not yet sure how the deaths of so many creatures will affect the Gulf ecosystem.
See more pictures of affected wildlife on National Geographic News.
Photograph by Win McNamee, Getty Images
they need to fix this just look at that animal they better fix this now
this is very interesting. we are learning about this in school and i think we should try to save the wildlife in the gulf. it could be good for us instead of everything being dead.STOP THAT OIL SPILL!
this is very interesting. we are learning about this in school and i think we should try to save the wildlife in the gulf. it could be good for us instead of everything being dead.STOP THAT OIL SPILL!
Why would people do this I know that it was a accident but why put it right next to the ocean they should 've had a plan for it if this ever happened. They know that animals live inthe ocean. Well all we can do right now is hope all the animals are going to be ok and that the oil will all be cleaned up but for now peace out.
Aww to bad i wish i could help!
This is horrible. BP should of had a plan if this happened. Why can't we just dump a ton of dawn in the ocean to clear up all the oil? Thais is a horrific event and something should be getting done for these birds and other animals.
hi
the pore little animals the president should do something about this!
poor little animals i cant belive they went through all of the oil that could've endangerd some of our animals
Someone needs to help all of those animals just because some people don't care they should just because they aren't people they are like us in alot of ways. They also have feelings like us.
please let me know when this will stop?
how bad it is?this should come an end soon ..and severe steps is to be to save these animals....
why didn't they actavate the safty divice. IT MUST BE STOPED
i just wish i go there an stop it, that is really sap boo hoo hoo those birds r really cuit when they are clean
why didn't they actavate the safty divice. IT MUST BE STOPED
it is so sad to me that the animals look so bad because of the oil and some i think died :[
I hope the engineers can design a better ship. Maybe so strong it can stop any cracks from happening.
Poor little critters.
This is now getting beyond ridiculus. (I know I spelt it wrong). This oil IS endangereing the wildlife in the Gulf. As far as I know, they at least set up some things to block oil if it heads north. I am just so mad that I can barely put it into words. BP should've had safer equipment and something to contain an explosion so that something like this would not happen. It's definetly the WORST the world has ever seen.
The one in Alaska several years ago was a tanker, there wasn't a well underneath that was ready to just start shotting oil out. It was stored oil so eventually it stopped but who knows with this one.
:(
Poor Poor Pelican There So Cool BIRDS! Why Did They Have To Tunnel Under The Water It Is Dumb!
i think this is really aufull an wish it did not happen
Help the animals!I love animals! It will defect sealife for 10 years. So we should all help the animals!
This is just so sad for these poor animals to be covered in oil. I know it was an accident but we need to clean this up as fast as possible. I also feel bad for the people cleaning the oil off these animals. I would like to help I don't know how.
I fill so bad for them all we can do is pray !!!
i feel very sorry for the animals who did not make it during the oil spill. i feel very happy for the animals who got cleaned off and now is having a better life.
I wish I could HELP!!!!!!!! Those poor animals have to suffer because BP was and is not doing there job! Why should we just stand around watching them and seeing on the news how much they are going to help when it has been not just a little leak like they say but gushing oil for over two mounths!!!!! i toldly agree with katsi they should have planed it in a way that if this were to happen that they would be able to cleen it and fix it in time before theese poor helpless animals covered in oil have to suffer and die. This world dose not care about animals any more. I am glad that all of you guys and I care enoght to speak about it to each other. Maybe we can all find a way to help clean this mess up!!!!! Please pray for all of those animals in the Gulf of Mexico!!!!!!!!
That's very bad that we have oil spills becuase it makes animals die and ..... some people can die too
I feel really hurt that the animals in the ocean are suffering. I think the people on the oil ship should have been more prepared if they were going to have a spill. Hopefully, the oil will be gone in a few months. People are doing everything they can to help. I wish I could help too.
its not fair to those poor animals
Terrible....Why they do such bad things!We should be friends of these animals,but not killers!Please do something for our environment,do something,don't only wait and see.
We think it's a disgrace that the wildlife is all dying. All those innocent animals dying, their lungs full of oil. FIX THE SPILL, FORGET THE BILL!
I feel so sorry for the animals that got covered with the oil. )=
I feel sorry for all the animals and Mexico :(
ikr you know what we should do guys we should all make posters and hang them up in our nieghborhoods!
I feel terrible for the animals out there because of the oil spill and BP has to fix it. And I want to help the animals so much because I love animals.
The oil spill happened 58 days ago. BP should clean up the oil. Bp should say sorry to the animals.
I feel so sorry for the animals. I feel guilty because I’m just sitting here doing nothing and I’m not in the oil spill. That’s just awful. And I do not like it at all.
I am sorry for the animals covered in OIL. I am sad for the SEA too. It happen FIFETY EIGHT days ago. Fix it now Bp or they will die.
B.P you better fix this because you made it .The rule is if you make something wrong you fix it. You don’t leave it.
On April 22 there was an oil spill and I feel sad BP spilled the oil and they should fix the oil spill.
I feel sorry for the animals and everything that died because the oil spilled made poor animals.
I feel sorry for the poor animals. I Feel BAD because I’m sitting here doing nothing. The government should do something about it. I feel sorry for the ocean Bp should clean it up. It happened 58 days ago it’s not funny at all.
Poor old animals that got sick from the oil spill. B.P you need to hurry up it has been 58 days. Be quick fixing that oil spill.
I feel really TERRIBLE for all the animals that have died. BP hurry up! All the people that are helping thanks but BP is responsible so they should clean it up.
The poor animals are in danger and I love the dolphins and my dad love all of the animals also the water snakes.
I feel so sorry. BP should have fixed this before 58 days. Thank you to the people that helped the animals. It is not good at all. You should help fix this oil spill BP. You should have had a plan. Now you have to clean it up because you did it. It is not funny. This is so bad.
I feel sorry for the animals that got stuck in the oil spill. You should help the animals BP. You could clean up the mess.
BP, hurry up it has been 58 days. I am disgraced. Not good enough clean it up now. Try harder it’s not OK at all BP not funny at all.
BARRACK OBAMA its ok it’s not your fault.
the oil spill will kill any animal that touchs the spill will die. HELP THE ANIMALS!!!!!!!!
This oil spill is horrible!I feel terrible for all the poor wildlife that is getting hurt.
WOW that is soo sad and i wish i could help :(
Poor pelican he does not deserve that.
I know I think a hole lot of animals look just like that or
posibly dead.FIX IT SOMEONE PLEASE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this oil spill is NOT okay, all those animals are DIEING!!!! this is soooo sad. why can't they hurry up and have a good idea to fix this problem? Why did they even put an oil rig there in the first place? who would want to dig for TOXIC oil? who needs oil in the first place? petrol they say, you don't need to have petrol powered cars! we should all have soler powered cars. (or so I say)
it is very sad that animals are getting hurt. those people should think more about keeping he animals safe than anything else. The people who are responsible for this should help more. I appreciate all the people who are trying hard to fix the problem.
HELP THE ANIMALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He looks sad
ii think someone should go
and fix this. is killing the
animals. i wish we could go
back in time and fix everything...^^
Although this is a HORRIFIC occurance, we need to consider all parts of this trajedy. I just wanted to stress, THE WILDLIFE IS NOT THE ONLY THING WE ARE LOSING WITH THIS OIL SPILL, but if it's the most important or not is completely up to you. Our country is already in a trillion dollar deficit, not to mention the millions and millions we are continuing to lose because of this oil spill. Some asked, "why put it right next to the ocean?" The answer is, how would BP have gotten to the underground oil deposit if they had not gone under the ocean to retrive it. There is no way of telling this could happen, there is no sense in having a back-up plan if something like this were to happen because even now, we are unable to find a solution which only shows that we could have potentially wasted millions of dollars in trying to find a solution when we wouldn't have needed one in the first place. I am not trying to sound heartless in anyway because I love animals and wildlife in general (in fact I'm hoping to become a wildlife photographer) but please consider this. Our country is already in a trillion dollar deficit, and with the millions we are spending not only on the oil loss itself, but the useless efforts to clean the oil from animals and the ocean, along with the future changes being made to prevent anything even close to this, not to mention other expenses for others as well. All I'm asking is that we not only consider the lives of the animals lost because when this is all over, we will be in a debt larger than we have ever seen before. So are losing the lives of around 800 animals really the most important in comparison?
It's very sad to also hear that it happened on Earth day, Some way to help the earth BP! Now animals are dyeing, the gulf is filthy, people are working as hard as they can, and your not helping at all, poor pelican. Maybe you could raise money or do something to help the oil spill.
so do i but i don't think its gonna hapen.
This Is So serious, Bp you BETTER fix this cause this is NO laughing matter its just sad. You SHOULD HAVE HAD A PLAN,BUT YOU DIDNT!!!! I'm upset Im a animal lover and if you people dont fix this the animals will keep dying and that effects the economy, and the fishers and all those other people that get their food from the water the more this oil spill keeps going on the more people will DIE!!
and u should know its all thanks to YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i agreewith the other person who said this...
FIX THE SPILL, AND FORGET THE BILL
dont be selfish think about others not ur self !!!!
help the poor animals barack obama i'm not saying that you are a bad person but you should help the world and make a new RULE concering this
The animals the trees the people the trash around cities EVERYTHING you should help this wold before we all end up living in a world that means NOTHING WHATSOEVER
I can't believe this is happening all those animals and our beautiful beaches are at stake here! We got to do something to help! SAVE OUR OCEAN!!!!!
How bad! thanks fr posting this! Itll help raise awareness
I wish there is something I could do. This spill is going to eventually kill a lot of sea life since it is an ecosystem. If a lot of those birds die, then that will effect those predators since they won't be able to eat them. Animals depend on each other. They can't go off dieing.
cutiprincess- Yeah, I guess this is pretty bad also in terms of our economy since fisherman's game is so bad. I also heard about a net maker that is running out of business.
Does anybody know a way we can help?
-Jindo
iiFeel really bad for the people that live around the Gulf and everything, iiReally wish everybody was able to pitch in and help... :D D: I mean it's a good thing and a bad thing all at once, because we have people that are wanting to help and then there's the BiG MAiN BAD PART... where it's all the animals dying it makes me want to cry... Teehee... Anyways, I am in class so, I will have to get back to mmy comment later :D thanks for listening everybody, iThink we could change the world after this if we all try and help..
Sincerly, Annie
all the poor animals out there are in so much pain and in danger they need to stop it it is bad for the earth we can help by donating money and by some so soap it is things that little that can save the the animals
I feel every sorry for all of them
My teacher said tht many animals are being affected with the homes being destroyed and tht many states are also being affected i just wish tht we could make it all better and save all the animals!!!
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Oh! Did you see this photos! The photos of this poor animals! I"m SHOCKED! All the animals are in this oil! I want to cry when I see them!
climber- you should raise money and then donate it to a place thats trying to help save the pelicans!
its just so sad...i wanted to be an oceanographer when I grow up. I feel so sorry for all the ocean life and I even feel sorry for BP. I don't think they meant to do it. It was just an accident...like I said it's just so sad! I think I forgive BP, but how are they going to clean up the mess?
bp needs to clean up their mess this is the worst oil spill ever
We feel so sad to see the bird like this.
How long will it take them to clean up the oil spill?
I don't know but they better fix it fast!!!!!
this is TERRIBLE!!!!! My mom says that the reason why it started was cuz' somebody told the driller a shortcut to oil and it made a huge mistake. I hear it's already all the way up to canada now! It is a good thing that oil rises to the top of water since they don't mix. or else the whole ocean would just be black muck. I mean it is still bad but it could be worse. They should be doing more to stop it and SOON!!!!!!!!!
I wish I can help.But i am to young.I think kids should be able to help.I am only seven but I want to help so bad!But I still can't help.Poor animals they are going to die.
I think this is horrible. But think about where it started. If the oil rig wasn't there this wouldn't have happened. And if we didn't have the huge demand for oil the oil rig wouldn't have needed to be there. So maybe it's not the oil rigs fault. It may be us and all other people of America for our constant consumption and demand for oil. If we could find another natural resource this may not have happened. We need to find a way to make renewable energy. Even bio-deisel could be the start to a more eco-friendly and more energy-efficient world. I agree with cuti-princess. In addition to the bad economy before this happened, we are spending more money to fix the spill. If we found a source of renewable energy, wouldn't it be cheaper if anybody can make their own renewable energy? Oil and gas prices are rocketing in prices. Bio-deisel is a gas made from algae. So how much does it cost to go out somewhere, get algae, and boil the oils out of it. My point here is if we found a new source to power our nation like algae there wouldn't be such a demand for oil, we wouldn't need oil rigs, and this might not have happened. It could be more eco-friendly, better for our economy, and more energy efficient, to forget about oil altogether.
Thats so bad. If people don't help these precious animals are going to die. I wish kids could help grown-ups its up to you so please help and save these animals. If only children could help, I would help anytime. Can't we donate or anything?
GROWN-UPS HELP THESE ANIMALS PLEASE.
Oh my gosh, this is horrible! We should do everything we can and help save them! BP, I agree, should have had a back-up plan! All those poor animals, maybe becoming endangered, that's so sad! I mean look at the pelican picture! He even looks sad! I'll do everything I can!
How bad! Why can't we take oil from the land instead of the ocean? So, there won't be oil spills in the ocean.
I am only 6 years old, and I wish I could do something to help. We need to save animals in the gulf of Mexico. What if the carnivores in the ocean have their prey covered with oil?
bp should have a plan now the toatal cost for the spill is 3,000,000 dollars not to mention the economic depression we were alreay in. I feel so sorry for those poor animals. I realy wish that they were something I couild do. But the president of bp said that they might get the oil spill cleaned up by the end of july I hpoe so it so deppresing to turn on the news because thier talking about the gushing oil spiiling into the gulf. But even though they do get it stopped we still got a long ways to go.Because we have to clean up the ocean.Anyway peace out
It's so heartbreaking to see all the beaches and marshes covered in oil
that bird is in the water
i love littel birds and big birds my mom has one but pelcans covvered in oil is so sad because the birds may die if they get cleanded off and they still might die from the oil enyway and everyone is trying as fast as they can to get the birds claend off before the oild hurts them its really sad for anmimal lover like me i hat the oil spill because of the birds and doghins are my moshly favorite sea pet
that poor bird this all wouldent have happend if OBAMA DIDNT DRILL UNDER THE WATER AND HE DRILLED ON LAND HE IS AN IDIOT now all of these birds and sea animals r in trouble because of him and other people i hope ur happy now look wht u did and if there waz anything i could do to help i would WOW IM GLAD I GOT THAT OFF MY CHEST STUPID PEOPLE THEY MAKE ME SO UPSET
WELL THANK U FOR LISTENING BYE
poor animals look wht u did if OBAMA HADNT DRILLED IN THE WATER AND DRILLED ON THE LAND THEN THIS WOULDENT EV HAPPEND I AM SOO UPSET IDIOTS wow look wht u did i cant even talk anymore i just cant believe it u people r jerks now im glad i got that off my chest so
Thank u for listenning IDIOT BYE
It's so sad to see that poor brown pelican covered in oil! BP is NOT trying to clean up the oil spill!!!
This is sad. they can send people to the moon but they cant plug a oil leak
RIGHT THAT$ JU$T WRONG ANIMALE$ WA$ ALL OVER DA NEW$ COVERED IN OIL THEY NEED TO FIX DIS
We need to find a way that can people fix this cause if they dont animals all over the world are going to disappear
i wish i was there i would use my whole power to clean that.
think about it we did this too all the animals out there. that are suffering. we need too do something about it. when i heard about it i was shocked! I went too school and told everyone too help too spill. now all our school is helping too clean the beaches. that's what u should do. not sitting around being lazy. its not helping anyone. please recycle and help the gulf bye
love
lwdyer123
This is all MANS fault... they wanted more oil and looked what happened. I bet those people who owned the oil thing don't care. I want to help... those poor helpless animals whos helping them not enough people!!! This is so dumb! Man in general is responseable. Those workers (if any survivers) should help!I did my part by saving trees for MY enviorment; why aren't they? This is why global warming is happening.... it's bp,obama drilling the hole so don't blame me..... bye i'm going to write a letter to someone who WILL HELP and CARE 4 OUR ENVIERMENT!
Today is day 100 of the oil spill. Someone must fix this quick because the animals don't like it. One of the workers doesn't want to help and I think the government should fix this.
This is so sad!BP[that is the oil company]should have had a back-up plan!They need to clean that oil up quick otherwise we will have decrease in oceanic life and that will affect the food chain.Everyone should pitch in to help.Thank goodness that severel people are capturing the wildlife and cleaning them!
Oh my gosh that's crazy I learned about that in school. On my vacation to the coast of Washington state I saw a duck covered in oil and it was in the ocean, the poor thing couldn't fly. But how could a duck covered in oil be over here how can the oil spill affect us on the west!?
they need to fix this and fix it now like right now
to answer your question AK[the six year old]the reason they drill from the ocean is there is tons more oil down there.why are people so GREEDY?????????????
we are not just losing sea life we are losing money.
I think that this is horrible BP sucks and it is not fair to all of the animals out there
i am really disscusted
This is ridiculious that the spill has occured, but BP has not done anything about it. Although they have seeled the cap, there are several leakes! If i were to own the Gulf Of Mexico, I would have sued BP by now...................
I feel so sad for the Pellican!!!!!!
this is very sad
DYLANA
I so sorry for the poor little guy!!!!!!!!
I wish that they put oil on planes instead of boats.
someone needs to fix this right about now
BiancaJ2
I am so sorry for that poor cute little guy!!!
SOMEONE SOULD HAVE A RESPOSE FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND SOULD HELP ANIMALS WHAT HAVE BEEN HURT.
I think it's horrible whats happened in the last few months or even years i think they should be careful with the oil to protect the penguins and all the other sea animal and creatures.
You are all just saying how they should do something if you want something done do it your self .
I feel so sorry for that poor thing.....well....Clean it up! but that is definitely gonna last for a long long time! think about those endangered animals...and especially the environment!they would never make it up!
Hooray! The oil well is closed and safe now. Mother Nature, along with good people, will help clean-up the environment.
i feel sorry for all the animals dying because of the oil spill!!! :( we have to do everything in our power to STOP THE OIL SPILL!!!!!!!!
Hello, i feel terrible a bout the oil spil.
Take my word for it but its wrong that theres
global warming and the oil spil is thier fault. Its unfair thet land animals have the stuff they need but the animals that depend on wats will just die! And us kids can do more than what people think we can. Us kids take up the majority of the earth. Sous as a team can make a differance in the world and be the 1# heros of the earth!, so lets get started!!!!
I wish that they should figure out a way for boats to use less oil when in use, but still go far
everyone should stop polluting the wildlife homes because it isn't good for them. Please save them.
People can be so selfish about taking care of their own needs that they forget their actions affect everything and will filter back to them.
OMG I WISH I COULD HELP!
I wish I could start a fundraiser in my school to help the animals there so I might be helping I WISH I COULD MOVE ALL ANIMALS THERE TO A PLACE WHERE THERE IS NO OIL
I guess i will have to keep on dreaming=( =p
Now that this is getting out of hand(Yes, im also talking about the comments like "The persident should do something!!!" Who ever wrote that, OH PLEASE! The presedent had nothing to do with it, nevertheless, can fix it! I mean GEEZE! He had just suddenly knew that!),I wanna talk some sense into you. You can help this bird by not making it worse! Like, you know how they say, "Turn off your water when your brushing you teeth" or "Don't litter because all the litter ends up in the ocean". Which I kinda think is retarded because if you through like um...... the Roaring Waters juice pouch on the ground in the desert, 1.) You wont turn into a disrespectoid like on tv and 2.) It wont go-POOF- into the ocean! I mean sure it could land there if you live by oceans but I mean....Really?
It's my B-day Today and I'm starting to make sense ,which, in fact, WONT COME AROUND ALOT! Lol
ANYWAY! Back to the bird, um sorry bird, and I hope your in recovery!
Purple Girl,
Age 11 *Almost*
Hypnocow:), I agree, this was mostly our fault, cause of our demand for oil. If we could find renewable energy........then this might not have happened.
So.......
Doesn't it seem like getting an environmental bill passed is pretty important? We don't want to have another one of these, and if we do, it's going to hurt the economy.
I don't think this was the presidents fault.
this could hurt the animals so strat to help in and clean this mess now it is a part of a world that needs alot of cleaning
This is so sad. We need to do somthing about it. I cant help seeing this. This shows are earth might not have a bright future.One with a future of no animals no trees no living things except humans. We need to make sure this isnt are temporary home.
I think that more people sould help.Becuase what if it got wrose?We could live in a place whith no animals no trees and no humans.I don't think enyone wonts that.
But that what I think.
HELP SAVE THE ANIMALS!
PLEASE
I cant believe that all those animals are dying,so sad:( Like some people dont even care about the animals:(So please help because these creatures have feelings like us,they do deserve to live!Could you imagine a world without animals:( it would be devastating, what would we do without them?!?!
You know...they really should do more than they already are. I know they are trying to help, but it isn't helping. BP is helping...but they could do more. I would like to help, but sadly I am one person. I want to do something, or start something for kids, like myself, to help with the oil spill.
This article is very sad.Somebody should save those animals .I also saw a video someone was making a sweater for a penguin it was so cute. I wish I could go and swim to save those animals. I'm a 3rd grader!
poor little animals. they can't survive with all this nonsense going on.they should stop that oil going into the gulf.we should stop it for wildlife. who's with me
Poor guy,. Here what I think happened they decided to get more oil, and they did not think it was going to leak but it did and here is what happend
1st off we cant blame anyone these pipes or tanks were created along time ago. deep up under the sea no one never thought about things like this will happen this is the 21st century the time to make things better blaming people isnt gonna make any thing change or better let alone make it go away sooooo keep a high spirit the animals need us
someones got to do something
This was two years ago why do they still have it up?
Guys this was two years ago, Obama did a very stupid thing, drilling under the ocean, WHO WOULD THINK OF DOING SUCH A DUMB THING!?!?! OBAMA WOULD
This is AWFUL. My fav animal is a pelican, this breaks my heart to see this pelican covered in oil. OBAMA-DUMB!
I'm with you guys! This really annoys me. They have the worst oil spill in U.s. history and now bp is trying to kiss up to our butts saying on commercials "come to the gulf!" acting like nothing happened! I have an idea. This would have never happened if we all used renewable energy for every thing. So lets make a petition to get every body to use renewable energy sources. We can have 10 people for each county in the us. Each of them has to get 100 signatures and that way way well have 1,000 signatures per county. If we do that, then well have like a petition that like a billion signatures long! I don't thing the president can veto that if that many people want it!
It is very hard to believe that such thing happened, and is damaging the wild life, especially sea animals... It is a great relief that the oil spilling has been reduced, but the damage has made a great difference in our world, just like a wound that stays forever.
Guys I read the comments and I am telling u it has nothing to do with Obama bp stands for British petroleum! Its the queen of England's fault,!!!!!!!!!!
Why do oil spills happen? Too much oil? What ever it is the black stuff seems very yucky.