Most Vulnerable Animals in Oil Spill
While billions of dollars is being spent on cleanup efforts and compensation for the people affected by the BP oil spill, it's impossible to put a price tag on the livelihood and existence of the countless species of fish, birds and other wildlife that occupy the region.
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Dr. Pam Yochem, senior veterinarian at SeaWorld San Diego, brought to "The Early Show" some species of animals being affected by the oil spill.
"Early Show" Resident Veterinarian Dr. Debbye Turner Bell who spent some time at an animal rescue center in Louisiana discussed some of the animals that have been and will be affected by the spill.
For sea creatures, including sea turtles, manatees and whales, Bell said being covered in oil is as bad as it would be for us: When oil gets on their skin it sticks, when it gets in their lungs it burns and when they ingest it, it hurts their insides.
Bell explained that oil can damage the feathers of seabirds, which then cease to be waterproof. The birds may also feed on shellfish which have been poisoned.
However, beyond the immediate effect on the animals themselves, Bell noted it's also important to consider the indirect effect of the oil on all creatures; if the habitat that they depend on is destroyed, then they won't survive.
Bell shared these eco-system and food chain facts:
• Oil spills can damage the entire food chain in an ocean and/or marshland area.
• Many people don't realize all the animals in the ocean that oil spills affect. Plankton, larval fish, and bottom dwelling organisms are all affected. Even seaweed, clams, oysters, and mussels are affected.
• Plankton, tiny immobile organisms at the base of the food chain, can be killed by chemically dispersed oil.
• When hundreds of plankton die because of oil, fish won't be able to eat the plankton, so they will become extinct.
• Shrimp and other shellfish are more vulnerable to oil and chemical dispersants because they are stationary.
• Fish larvae are most at risk. Bluefin tuna, now spawning near the spill, are of particular concern. The Gulf of Mexico is one of only two nurseries in the world for bluefin tuna.
• The Gulf Stream is a direct waterway into Florida Bay and the Everglades.
Among the animals that live along the Gulf Coast, this is the time for hatching and rearing: Species as diverse as pelicans, shrimp and alligators are all reproducing, or preparing to. That could bring sensitive young animals in contact with toxic oil or cause their parents to plunge into oily waters looking for food.
Pelicans
The brown pelican, Louisiana's state bird, nests on the low-lying islands and, having been removed from the endangered list last year, is now under threat from oil. Pelicans and other seabirds often dive into the oil because the slick makes the water look calmer. If pelicans dive into oil-slicked waters while hunting, their feathers can become saturated, causing them to suffer from hypothermia or even drown. If they pick up oil and are still able to fly, they can then carry crude back to their nests, contaminating them. Or, they could eat, and feed to their young, fish tainted by the oil. Because of their low reproductive rate, any disruption to their breeding cycle could have serious effects on the population. They'll use their beaks to pick the oil off their feathers, and they'll ingest that.
Roseate Spoonbill
Roseate spoonbills are coastal birds that live in the Gulf region. Their habitat is the shallow water areas in the wetlands and on coastal island bushes, reeds or mangroves. They use their unusually shaped bill to find and ingest small fish, shrimp, mollusks and vegetation, all which may be covered in oil.
American Crocodile
Crocodiles live in swampy areas, marshes, rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. They are opportunistic feeders; adults eat fish, turtles, wading birds, snakes, frogs and small mammals they find near the shoreline of their habitat, all of which may be covered in oil. Crocodiles just completed laying eggs in April or May, with eggs scheduled to hatch this summer. These young will be particularly susceptible to oil ingestion and a contaminated food source.
Florida Bobcat
Bobcats are an example of animals that are indirectly affected by the oil spill. Bobcats can most likely be found in every county in Florida and in most states in the country. Warm weather bobcats, in particular, feed on small rodents and animals like rats, mice and beavers, all of which inhabit marsh and swamp areas. Bobcats favor shrubby, swamp edges for dense cover and secluded den sites.