According to the American Bird Conservancy (ABC),  the bright white lights that illuminate the platforms are responsible for 200,000 bird deaths a year. The birds are attracted to the lights, but often they become disoriented by them. Some will fly around in circles until exhausted, ultimately falling to their death. Or, they land on the platform where there is no food or water. When they finally leave they are in a weakened state, making it difficult to fly to land and making them more vulnerable to predators.

The good news is that the fix is relatively simple and affordable. A 2007 report by F.J.T. Van De Laar found that swapping the white lights for green ones reduced bird impact by anywhere from 50 to 90%. Combined with covering the top of the lights, many birds would be saved. ABC is calling on British Petroleum (BP) to make these lighting changes to their Gulf of Mexico platforms. Dr. Michael Fry, Director of Conservation Advocacy for ABC commented that on the anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon spill making the changes would “… partly compensate for bird deaths from the BP oil spill one year ago. …. Installing bird-friendly lighting on their platforms is one simple action BP could take that would have a tangible, positive impact for birds.”

Let’s hope BP uses some of their profits to do the right thing.

CTV reports that 40 to 60 species of birds across Canada and the US, including ducks, pelicans, gulls, herons and sandpipers, are beginning to head towards the Gulf area.  Many are expected to never return from the immensely polluted waters.  Some of these birds, such as the endangered piping plover, spend winters along the Gulf Coast while others use its shores to stock up on food before flying to Latin America, explains USA Today.

As oil continues to rise to the surface, countless birds have died and thousands more will be in danger due to migrations.  Habitats are forever changed as oil has seeped into plants and marshes, destroying food sources.  USA Today reports that although it is almost impossible to steer migrating birds away from instinctive destinations, conservationists such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service are taking action by paying landowners to let their farmland relax, provide food and restore wetlands to create habitats for migrating birds.  The creation of barrier marshes/islands, along with beach cleaning projects and bird population monitoring, are also key protection strategies.

Migrations coupled with the possibility of an active hurricane season in the oil-slicked waters could threaten multiple bird species and cause unpredictable effects on ecosystems and natural resources.  The loss of birds will throw ecosystems off-balance and negatively affect insect and fish populations, not to mention the livelihood of human beings.  If we do not take swift decisive action against the black plague that is the BP oil spill, the health of our planet may indeed suffer.

As oil continues to seep into the Gulf of Mexico, aggressive awareness campaigns and protection efforts are vital in order to save what’s left of the delicate balance of life in the ocean.  The devastating effects of the BP oil spill on wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico can be witnessed in an exhibit at the National Mississipi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa. According to KTTC, the exhibit was originally planned to display the beauty of the Gulf, but after the April 20 Deep Water Horizon rupture it will now showcase what is perhaps the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.  The aquarium exhibit includes a 40,000 gallon tank laden with dark window stickers resembling the oil that covers aquatic life in the Gulf.  It allows visitors to face the effects of the tragedy.

The reality is that the ecosystems surrounding the Gulf may never be the same, as countless plants and animals have died or been forced from their habitats. Veterinarian news DVM 360 estimates that out of the approximately 1,812 birds that have been collected in the area, only 766 have been found alive.  Similarly, only 128 of the 539 sea turtles collected, and 5 of 52 dolphins, were reported as living.

The New York Times reports that dozens of heavily oiled sea turtles were recently found near a site where workers were burning off oil, raising the possibility that the turtles had been burned.

Good News From the Gulf

Luckily, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts shine a ray of hope over the murky depths of the Gulf.  More than 63 cleaned and rehabilitated brown pelicans were set free at Arkansas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, which was picked due to its ideal coastal habitat for the pelicans.

Also, the Center for Biological Diversity has advised that conservation groups, BP and the Coast Guard agreed Friday (in court) that efforts will be taken to rescue sea turtles from the water’s surface before setting fire to oil slicks in the Gulf.  A shrimp boat captain noticed turtles, including the endangered Kemp’s ridleys, were being burned when fire-resistant booms were drawn together to form a “burn box” that was then burned.  Turtles were being caught in the box and killed.  Now qualified scientists and observers will attend every burn to make sure that all turtles are identified and removed before the burning starts.

Thank You and Good Luck to all the people rescuing and rehabilitating animals and cleaning up the oil.  Efforts as rapid and forceful as the leaking oil are needed.