Dolphins in Barataria Bay are severely ill, NOAA says

[bluedigger]

Source: The Times-Picayune

Bottlenose dolphins in Barataria Bay are showing signs of severe ill health, according to NOAA marine mammal biologists and their local, state, federal and other research partners, NOAA announced today. Barataria Bay received heavy and prolonged exposure to oil during the 2010 Gulf spill after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded.
The NOAA conclusion is based on the results of comprehensive physicals given to 32 live dolphins from Barataria Bay during the summer in 2011. Preliminary results show many of the dolphins were underweight, anemic, had low blood sugar and/or some symptoms of liver and lung disease. Nearly half also had abnormally low levels of the hormones that help with stress response, metabolism and immune function.
Researchers fear that some of the study dolphins are in such poor health that they will not survive, said a NOAA release issued today. One of those dolphins, last observed and studied in late 2011, was found dead in January 2012.
"The results presented today only reflect what we know about the health of dolphins in Barataria Bay area of Louisiana," NOAA spokesman Ben Sherman said in a news release following a teleconference announcing the results. "They may provide possible clues to other dolphins exposed to oil in the northern Gulf of Mexico. However, it is too soon to tell how the Barataria Bay findings apply to the overall (unusual mortality event) or to the health implications for other dolphins exposed to oil in the Gulf of Mexico."

Read more: http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/03/dolphins_in_barataria_bay_poll.html

[KamaAina]

1. BP: "Put a dolphin in your tank!"

[Autumn]

2. Heartbreaking. it still pisses me off that the Administration allowed

this shit to do on so long and then lied that the oil was dissipated.

[jpak]

5. they did not lie

yup

[awoke_in_2003]

13. +1. nt

[benld74]

3. They not only had to live in it, their FOOD comes from tit as well- double whammy

[glinda]

4. I think they should get off their arses and rescue, remove, treat what they can. Block

BP from any business anywhere until they pony up for total restoration.
Ya right......

[caseymoz]

6. But. . . but . . . I thought the oil was all gone!

That the oil eating bacteria got rid of it all. I know because BP and the Federal government said so.

Looks like at least some of it went to the top on the food chain.

Too bad people along the coast began eating the seafood there, and convincing others to do so to get the region back on its feet, with BP and the Fed's encouragement. The toxins tend to accumulate at the top of the food chain, as we see with the dolphins.

You know what's bad for the coast's economy? A lot of sick people.

[tawadi]

7. So sad

[Dont call me Shirley]

8. BP: Dolphin Genocidalists

[Ruby the Liberal]

9. I don't think we will ever know the extent of the damage

done by the oil and compounded by the Corexit.

[lovuian]

10. try Corexit contamination

that is a part of this

[NorthCarolina]

11. Drill Baby Drill!

[Mojorabbit]

12. It makes me want to cry. nt

[BeHereNow]

14. Meh... so many hummer tanks to fill in this country and in all our global military bases-

Can't be bothered with dolphins...
BHN

[MountainLaurel]

15. But Louisiana seafood is safe and tasty

According to TPTB.

[Earth_First]

16. BP says that everything has returned to normal...

I see it every night during the NBC evening news!

:scarcasm:

[bluedigger]

17. It has, for BP.

BP's Post-Macondo Reality: Rising Profits On Falling Production
http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2012/02/07/bps-post-macondo-reality-rising-profits-on-falling-production/

BP's Profits Far Outweigh The Cost Of Cleaning Up Gulf Oil Spill (VIDEO)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/27/bps-profits-far-outweigh_n_591992.html

[progressoid]

18. Grrr.

[lonestarnot]

19. Oil Deathers. They still have us locked into their nutfuckery.