Animals in Oil Spills

Oil spills can affect animals and their environments for decades. According to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, oil influences wildlife such as birds and sea animals by coating their bodies in a thick layer and exposing them to environmental factors such as hypothermia. Once an oil spill occurs, animals must often be taken out of the affected environment in order to prevent death and even potential animal species extinction.

  1. Feathered animals

    • Sea birds are especially vulnerable to oil spills because they live on the water's surface, where oil gathers. According to the Austrailian Maritime Safety Authority the oil penetrates the feathers, impairing function and making the bird vulnerable to temperature fluctuations and hypothermia. Also once the bird's feathers are saturated with oil the wings become heavy, making it impossible for them to fly and thus vulnerable to predators and starvation.

    Sea Animals

    • Oil affects the fur of sea animals by reducing or destroying the insulation effect necessary to keep many maritime creatures alive in cold ocean climates. According to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority oil can build up in the fur and lungs, preventing animals from floating or diving and often leaving them unable to regulate their body temperature or evade predators. Sea animals also often become ill or lose body weight due to food sources becoming contaminated by oil.

    Oil and Animal Health

    • According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service consuming oil can not only impair and disable animals from flying and/or escaping from predators but it also often leaves animals with kidney and liver damage, as well as dehydration and metabolic imbalances. Most animals involved in oil spills die without the intervention of humans.

    Animal Clean-Up and Rehabilitation

    • As part of the oil clean up process animals may be collected and taken out of the environment, or sometimes cleaned on site and released. They are often given medicine to prevent the oil from entering their stomach and animals that are unable to eat on their own may be provided nutritional support until they recover. Once animals appear to be back to normal functioning they are re-introduced to water and allowed to clean and feed themselves, before eventually being returned to the wild.