Rescued turtles survive oil spill in gulf
Rescued turtles survive oil spill in gulf
The first 22 rehabilitated turtles oiled by BP's massive leak were released back into the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, with scientists saying that animals taken in by rescuers — including birds — appear more resilient than first feared.
Even though oil spill rescue crews have brought more sea turtles and birds to shore in the month since BP capped its broken well than the previous month, wildlife officials said both kinds of animals have suffered less damage than originally projected.
Rescuers have taken in 444 oiled turtles that were found alive since April 30, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They found 522 turtles dead, though they've only confirmed that 17 of those had oil on them.
Government researchers have largely declined to discuss the turtles' causes of death.
Virtually all the live turtles — all endangered, most of them the rare Kemp's Ridley species — taken in have recovered quickly. Oiled turtles are scrubbed clean with dish soap and other cleaners, tested for health problems and fed at the centers. Once the turtles regain their strength, they are returned to the wild.
Many young birds were spared because the worst of the oil came in at the start of the nesting season rather than when chicks were learning to fly.
In all, about 1,933 oiled birds have been rescued, while 1,942 oiled birds have been found dead since the well blew April 20. "It could have been a lot, lot worse," said Mike Carloss, a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologist who has been doing rescue work.
With the Gulf spill, there have also been some unexpected problems.
For instance, young green sea turtles have such delicate front flipper bones and get so upset at being handled that one may have broken a bone by wild flapping, said Cara Field, an Audubon Nature Institute veterinarian in New Orleans. Another one's bone may have been broken during capture or transport.
In the past few weeks, she said, red blood cell counts fell below normal in about 20 turtles — possibly a delayed reaction to the heavy oil that coated them in June. Two others had such sudden and drastic drops in the number of red blood cells that they needed transfusions but haven't had problems since, she said.
Share on Facebook
- Posted on August 19, 2010
Animals
Art
Your stories
I like turtles especially sea turtles. i hope they survive the oil spill. I am glad that poeple are trying to save the turtles.
I think that it is so sad that all of the marine life had to go through all of this. I really wish i could have helped clean up and take care of the little animals that were stuck in that stuff. I mean i dont think that bp should have ever drilled that in the ocean.
Really good and interesting article.I have a little bit of experience with turtles because I own a turtle,so I can kind of relate to this article.I LOVE this article!
Look how cute that little sea turtle is I will I had on or should I say I want to go to the ocean to see one cause turtles are so cute and when they are born thats when they look so very cute
I think its great for people to help animals. its wonder full the turtles got saved from the oil spill. i think more people need to help out with animals and think about hem to because its sad when animals die and sometimes go extinct.
It is good to finally here that turtles can finally go into their homes.And it is also good to hear that the turtles were rescued.Well i am glad everyone is safe.
Science: Animals taken in by rescuers including birds appear more resilient than first feared. Rescuers have taken in 444 oiled turtles that were found alive since April 30.They found 522 turtles dead, though they've only confirmed that 17 of those had oil on them.Government researchers have largely declined to discuss the turtles' causes of death. I think what they are doing is great.
I love turtles! I cant beliveve that all those turtles washed up on the shore! If I would have seen that I wouldve kept one, and took the rest to a Wild Life center.
The oil spill is just the first of many, cant you see that we are distroing this eath i mean come on we need to atleast try to help the earth, like the lil turtle there are many animals and people who are suffering because of us, are we even going to try to help? That poor turtle was cought into the mess that we have caused is that wat we want, if it was up to me ill take who ever is causing this and mess them up, but imma way to nice to that so you people are going to have to do better for the sake of every one.PPPPPPPPLLLLLLLLLLZZZZZZZZZZZ.
This oil spill is probably one of the biggest problems I've ever heard of. It was very sad when I heard about all those animals suffering from the oil spill, and it was sad that many of them were affected. A lot of people should help in this problem, because this crisis is affecting ENDANGERED species. If the animals keep on dying at this point, it will shrink the number of the endangered animals. People should take more action, instead of just sitting around saying they can't do anything. But they are wrong. There are donation sites for the oil spill, and a small donation could help the endangered species and other affected animals.