While reporting few dead wildlife, officials cite fears of BP spill's hidden impact

[highplainsdem]

Source: Washington Post

While reporting few dead wildlife, officials cite fears of BP spill's hidden impact

By David A. Fahrenthold
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 21, 2010; 8:38 PM

-snip-

In the call, officials said that many more wildlife probably have been killed by the oil, but their toll is hidden because their bodies have sunk in the open ocean, or been eaten by scavengers.

"We expect the numbers of affected wildlife to increase," said Ralph Morgenweck of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "Many of the wildlife ... that die from this spill will never be recovered."

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"We've never really seen this kind of thing," said Roger Helm, also of the Fish and Wildlife Service. "This one's coming in a way that has a lot of us working to understand, what is going to be the longer-term impact? ... How do we get our brain around this?

The impact on wildlife on shore might increase soon, now that thick sludge has begun washing up in marshes and on beaches in remote areas of south Louisiana. The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans reported Friday that on Elmers Island, La., "Hundreds of oil-coated hermit crabs lay dead or dying along the blackened shoreline, having lost their battle to crawl out of the toxic mess."

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Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/21/AR2010052104683.html

[Cetacea]

1. "We've never really seen this kind of thing."

Amazing what a little dispersant's will do for PR.

[cliffordu]

2. Why don;t they just admit it:

IT.IS.GOING.TO.KILL.EVERYTHING.IT.TOUCHES.

One of the most incredibly toxic substances on earth.

Fuck me blind.

[Catherina]

3. Lock those criminals up now! This is a nightmare. n/t