Where was the BP oil spill located?

One day after BP released a study saying the Gulf is on the road to data recovery, we took a-trip to at least one of the very affected areas from BP oil spill—Barataria Bay, Louisiana. From a-dead infant dolphin to devastation at a bird rookery to energetic clean-up crews eliminating a lot of oil from barrier countries, we discovered an extremely different image from what BP painted with its report.

Led by NWF Mississippi River Restoration system Director David Muth and NWF President & CEO Collin O’Mara, we started your day off at Cat Island. As soon as an exciting barrier area covered in brown pelicans, roseate spoonbills, terns and gulls, it was struck hard because of the oil through the spill. These days, the island is unrecognizable. The thick mangrove woodlands are typical dead in addition to island is basically a tiny spit of mud using the skeletal remains of vegetation, hosting only a handful of birds. Coastal Louisiana is losing a football industry of land hourly, and studies show the oil accelerated this erosion.

Next we went along to East Grand Terre, a nearby buffer area. Approximately 20 workers had been available to you cleaning oil. BP confirmed this newest clean-up was part of an activity to remove a 25, 000-pound tar matFinding oil let me reveal not an enormous surprise–two years back, a 40, 000 pound tar mat was based in the same location. Worse, in that same area, we also saw a mommy dolphin attempting to resuscitate the girl dead infant. She ended up being in the middle of a group of dolphins–all of those visibly in stress. These types of a tragic picture ended up being hard to witness. On a single day, The Lens reported that two dead person bottlenose dolphins washed-up on nearby Queen Bess Island.

We don’t understand why these specific dolphins passed away. But we do know for sure that NOAA features determined bottlenose dolphins in this area of Barataria Bay tend to be sick—very sick. They usually have the signs of oil exposure—unusual lung masses, adrenal gland issues, also teeth which can be receding. Based on the research, NOAA figured “the wellness results noticed in the Barataria Bay dolphins tend to be considerable and most likely will lead to reduced survival and capacity to reproduce.”

This movie contains material that could be disturbing for some audiences. Audience discretion is advised.​

Read NWF’s complete report in regards to the aftermath associated with the Gulf oil catastrophe! The consequences are continuous. Here’s how you can assist:

We’re nonetheless on the ground in Louisiana and across the Gulf trying to ensure that BP is held responsible which the Gulf is restored for dolphins as well as other wildlife.