Oil Toxicity
Exposure to oil (petroleum) can result in both external and internal damage to animals. It has the greatest impact on bird species, aquatic mammals, and other aquatic organisms. Affected wildlife can usually be identified via visual inspection, and can be treated if found early on. Major sources of such oil in the environment include accidental oil spills from off-shore sites, oil tankers, pipelines, and other facilities that store and process oil. Cause The main cause of wildlife exposure to oil is oil spills. Oil spills occur most commonly near oil-shipping routes, pipelines, wells and refineries. Oil spills have a more drastic impact in the late winter and early spring months, because large populations of overwintering birds gather near shores. The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (also known as the BP Oil Spill) was estimated to have killed over 8,000 birds, sea turtles and marine mammals from April to September in 2010. Animals come into direct contact with the oil, and may i ...
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