Animals Struck By Oil Spill Get Baths That Could Save Their Lives
Oil spills ravage more than just water.
The burst pipeline that spilled 105,000 gallons of crude oil and leaked about 21,000 gallons of oil into open waters along the California coast last week also drenched countless animals and ravaged their habitat.
At least one sea lion has already died as a result of the spill, and authorities are still trying to understand just how devastating the oil spill will be on ocean life. As the oil slick spreads for watery miles along Refugio State Park near Santa Barbara, heartbreaking images of the innocent animals struck by the environmental tragedy are revealing just how horrific oil spills are.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is getting help from the UC Davis Oiled Wildlife Care Network, and people are working diligently to save all the animals they can. These photos show the incredible work they're doing for animals fighting for their lives.
"Unfortunately with accidents and oil development, it is not a question of if, but of when," Owen Bailey, executive director of the Environmental Defense Center, told USA Today. "But to see this level of spill into such a sensitive and treasured environment is devastating."
If you see an oiled animal, call the Oiled Wildlife Care Network at 1-877-823-6926 and provide the best description you can of the animal and the situation, along with the animal's location so rescuers can try to help. Volunteer to help with the clean-up here. Learn how you can push for alternative energy sources here. Sign a petition to ban offshore drilling in California here.