Causes of Endangerment - Oil Spills

Endangered species have been protected and cared for by numerous environmentalists and conservationists groups. Many species are on their way to extinction and they are becoming harder to preserve and keep safe. People have been attempting to prevent the causes of endangerment to protect the endangered species and to make sure that more species do not become endangered.

Some of these causes are habitat destruction, overexploitation, disease, pollution, and oil spills. Habitat destruction affects endangered species because of the fast changes in the environment, such as deforestation and urbanization, give species little or no time to adapt. The changes in climate and global warming change temperatures on land and in the water. Climate change is caused by oil, coal, and natural gasses, called fossil fuels. Even a slight rise in temperature will cause a dramatic change in the environment. The greenhouse effect causes an excess of carbon dioxide, and pollutes the air. Overexploitation causes animals to become endangered because people will kill animals for different parts of their bodies. Sea otters were hunted for their fur to the point of near extinction. By law, between 100,000 to 150,000 sea otters are now protected to prevent them from becoming extinct. Diseases are transmitted from animals that are domesticated by humans to wild animals who do not have the immune system to fight against the diseases that are unknown to them.

Oil is a hazardous substance that is released from pipes in the ocean or ships, and spreads far beyond the original source of the spilling. Oil spills are caused by people being careless and making a mistake, equipment or pipes breaking, natural disasters such as hurricanes, or premeditated acts by terrorists or countries at war. Oil is absorbed into the soil of the ocean, therefore contaminating the water. Oil spills are taken care of and cleaned up by the United States Coast Guard or the United States Environment Protection Agency.

Sea otters are an endangered species that are especially affected by oil spills. The oil poisons sea otters after they ingest it while trying to clean off their fur. Their ability to insulate the heat in their bodies is destroyed by the oil; this causes sea otters to die of hypothermia. Oil spills also reduce the rate of reproduction and the ability for animals to reproduce, therefore causing them to decrease in numbers and become extinct. There becomes a reduction in survival and reproduction success. Due to their main source of food being shellfish, it is hard to increase without depleting the shellfish resources.

Conservation efforts are made to increase the number of the species. The rate of extinction for animals is one hundred times greater than average now. The Endangered Species Act, passed in 1973, helps animals recover and come back from near extinction. Other agencies, besides the Environmental Protection Agency, provide their services to help clean the animals and help them recover after a spill. Oil spills affect not only sea otters, but all marine life and animals. Sea otters are an endangered species that are becoming close to extinction. Numerous efforts are made to protect this species and reduce the number of oil spills to keep all animals safe.

Hi akillz
Welcome to WAA. Everything you have posted is undoubtably true as we who love, and care for wildlife know. Ther are that many things most of them caused by mankind that have, and are affecting our planet, and its Animal population. The thing is what do we do about it. It needs an world wide overall stratergy, but Governments cant agree, on anything, even tackling carbon emmisions. For instance you mention fossil fuels, the UK Government has enbarked on a major introduction of Windfarms, and yet with these you still have to have fossil fueled plants as back up, and they have to be kept running because they cant be switched on staright away, also invironmental groups object to them on different grounds. As has been asked on this forum recently. Whats the answer ?

WS
Whitestarling

Hi Akillz

I think the only thing there that man can't be blamed for is the Natural disasters, otherwise man is to blame for the demise of many animals. It is such a hard read to realise in a few paragraphs that the human race can be responsible for so many things. I do appreciate that a lot of those things have a wider effect than just on animals but often animals are the innocent parties that get caught up in it all.

I think we all need to think about how we lead our lives and how it has an effect on the environment and all that lives on this planet. Man is not only mans worst enemy but the planets too.

Agencies do a grand job in raising awareness and helping out the environment and the animals that get caught up in it all but we can't just rely on the agencies to clear up our mess, we need to start stopping the mess and we all need to think about what we are doing and the effect it can have. Are many people just blase about it or are we all wrapped up in the modern society.

Our Marine life do seem to really suffer and I know there are a lot that care but I do often wonder if they get forgotten a bit because they are not all cute and cuddly.

littlewid-x-

Hello Akillz and tayeng111

Welcome to the forum. It is our custom for new members to post a little hello when they join the site. We have a New Members thread where you can post a little about yourself and your interests in wildlife. This way we get to know you a little better and we can also welcome you to the site properly.
I will post the link to the thread on here for you so you can both say hello and introduce yourselves.
Look forward to hearing a little about you both and welcoming you to the site.

https://wildaboutanimals.forumotion.net/t870-new-members-introductions

littlewid-x-
Admin

I agree that marine life is often overlooked when it comes to endangerment, as they are not as visible to us as animals on land are. However, there are around 280 endangered marine animals (iii), as they face many of the same problems, such as pollution, loss of habitats, disease, climate change, and fishing. Coral reefs and invertebrates are vital to marine life, and with about 11,000 species less than 1-2 mm and about 15% of those with highly specific niches, they are easily affected (iv). Oil spills in particular can be extremely devastating to marine life. Many people attribute oil spills to oil tankers accidents, when “one of the most common causes of oil spills is actually runoff from the land.” (v) However, tankers are highly publicized due to the large amount of oil released at one time. The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited reports that since the 1970s there have been 457 oil spills of over 7 tonnes, with many more spilling less (ii). Some of these have been caused through no fault of the tankers operator, such as through hurricanes or other natural disasters, however some are merely caused by pure negligence.

The more recent Deepwater Horizon oil spill, more commonly referred to as the BP oil spill, has brought the attention of the significance of oil spills back into public eye. However, one of the less well-known incidents, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, is one of the most devastating spills in history. On March 24th, 1989 the Exxon Valdez tanker ran into Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, when the tanker was outside of the shipping lanes, avoiding ice. The drunken captain had handed over the navigation to the third mate, who, for reasons unclear, was unable to steer it back into the lanes. Of the 53 million gallon cargo, 10.9 million gallons were spilled into the waters. Due to a slow response time and the amount of oil spilled, much of the wildlife was and is still affected by it. (i)
Scientists estimate mass mortalities of 1000 to 2800 sea otters, 302 harbor seals, and unprecedented numbers of seabird deaths estimated at 250,000 in the days immediately after the oil spill. Mass mortality also occurred among macroalgae and benthic invertebrates on oiled shores from a combination of chemical toxicity, smothering, and physical displacement from the habitat by pressurized wash-water applied after the spill. (i)

Human activity has caused the extinction of many animals throughout our recent history, and although there is an effort by many to stop it, it continues. An extinct animal can never come back and people continue to proceed with the destruction of habitats and poaching, as well as many other destructive actions. The current extinction rate of animals is 100-1000 times higher than the expected natural extinction rate of animals, even despite current attempts to help. It is our destructive human activities that have made the number what it currently is, and humans need to take a step in the right direction of preventing this.




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i Cleveland, Cutler. "Exxon Valdez Oil Spill." The Encyclopedia of Earth. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.

ii "ITOPF - Information Services - Data & Statistics - Statistics." ITOPF. The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.

iii "Marine Species Search Engine :: MarineBio.org." MarineBio.org. The MarineBio Conservation Society. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.

iv "Threatened and Endangered Species." MarineBio.org. The MarineBio Conservation Society. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.

v "What Causes Oil Spills?" WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions. Conjecture Corporation. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.

Hi Guys
akillz tells me you are doing this as an English lesson project. Now you have collected all your data, on environment issues, and there are so many that have an effect on our world, I wondered what you think of Americas stance on Global warming, and cutting Americas carbon footprint. Also what do you think is the average Americans view of these sublects are
WS

Over the years, the amount of endangered animals have been rapidly increasing. Many natural disasters and man made events have traumatically effected the animals. A recent disaster occurred last year which was the BP oil spill in the Gulf Coast of 2010. Animals such as dolphins, sea turtles, sea otters, crustaceans, fish, birds, and several more species suffered many deaths because of this toxic oil. The oil destroyed their habitat; their sources of food was destroyed and their homes. One of the species that were hit hardest by the oil spill were the brown pelicans. This is because they spend their time hovering above the ocean in search of food. They do not notice the oil since it appears to make the ocean calmer. This causes the birds to dive in those locations unknowingly.

The oil affects everything whether it was inhaled or ingested. Either way, the oil can cause brain damage, pneumonia, kidney damage, stress and eventually leading to death. Unfortunately right after the oil spill, many of the animals suffered from exhaustion and hyperthermia in the ocean. When oil is on the external part of the body, it does not allow the body to regulate itself. The temperatures of some birds were 100 degrees Fahrenheit and above. According to the New York Times, on August 16, 2010, “more than 7,000 birds, sea turtles and dolphins have been found dead or debilitated in the Gulf of Mexico since the oil spill began.” Since then there have been several more deaths from the oil spill. For those animals that were not visibly oiled who past way, the reasoning is that they most likely ate another fish for food that was affected by the toxins.

An example of the current leading way for future generation turtles to become affected by the oil spill is if the it is not cleaned up and through the eggs that the mother will lay. The baby turtles have a high chance of obtaining diseases easier and mutations. Today there are many agencies and organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency that help preserve not only the marine life, including all environmental problems.

Fishing is currently a controversial topic among fishermen and consumers. It is extremely important that people and other animals have fish to eat, unfortunately, animals such as the bottle nose dolphins have been captured in these nets and affected by the toxic oil. The most common killings for all marine life occur during the commercial trawling until the oil spill occurred. Last year, only a few lucky dolphins escaped the terrifying fishing nets, however, 13 bottle nose dolphins ended up suffering and then dying which is an exceedingly amount. It is important to manage the marine life because if animals are recklessly caught, this will inevitability will affect the entire food chain.

A consideration for a more sensible net that will allow other fish, but specifically dolphins and sea turtles to escape through a top-opening escape hatches rather than getting trapped at the bottom is in progress. Neil Loneragan from the Centre of Fish and Fisheries research at Murdoch University believes that the fisheries will not have enough funding which will cause delays in the trial hatching. Although, some states have required a shorter trawling time in order for the unnecessary fish will not drawn and suffer. “Professor Loneragon believes the actual number of dolphins becoming trapped in trawl nets could be one-and-a-half to two-times higher than the data being reported by skippers in the State of Fisheries report.” This is an important problem to discuss.

I believe that even though this project proposes to create new fishing nets, it will be highly priced and will definitely be worth the opportunity. The new fishing nets have the potential to save the dolphin, sea turtle and the other marine life populations. The affect of saving the fish will just benefit the food chain by having more resources. Norman Moore, the Fisheries Minister, states that “we are making sure that those few fisheries we have in the state are minimal damage to the environment.” It is fantastic that he wants to pursue this new idea. If more people get involved, we can make this change faster and without species dying due to the fishermen’s accidental catches.

By investing in the new fishing nets, fishermen will have an easier time because they would not have to deal with the unnecessary fish that they would potentially catch. The oil in the ocean will need to be cleaned more so the marine life will not diminish. It is important that these species do not become extinct. Whatever happens to a species, it will ultimately affect everything including humans.

You guy's have made some interesting posts and I didn't realise about the oil making the sea appear calmer so the Pelicans were drawn to diving in to it unknowing about the oil, so thanks for that information.

We had a little post about the fishing nets and the marine life that got caught up in it, which involved the dolphins you mention.
https://wildaboutanimals.forumotion.net/t1284-conservationists-slam-dolphin-by-catch

WS has posed some interesting questions to you guy's on this thread and it would be interesting to hear your answers as I am sure you must have some opinions, especially as it is all related and you are doing this as an English project. I take it you are posting to get feedback or some kind of debate going.
Look forward to your responses.

littlewid-x-

While many people are trying to save animals and prevent them from becoming extinct, there are people who are assisting in some of the causes of endangered species. A lot of the occupations that people have put animals at risk for becoming sick, dying, or possibly becoming extinct. People talk about going green and conserving the environment, but not enough people actually try hard. There should be more of an emphasis on protecting endangered species and trying to prevent the causes of endangerment. Throughout history, humans have suffered through great tragedies, but we are always able to come back from that and move forward. Many animals cannot do this; once they become endangered, it takes a lot of work and effort to protect them from becoming extinct.

In regards to whitestarlings question, I think that Americans need to focus on the fact that the Earth’s average surface temperature has risen approximately 1.2 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit within the last 100 years, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, despite whether or not it was caused by human activity. Even though there are naturally occurring temperature fluctuations throughout time; since the Industrial Revolution the global surface temperature has increased at a rate not seen in over a thousand years. Yet many Americans are reluctant to come out and say it, as a Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies concluded that when the respondents were asked how convinced they were that global warming was happening 17% responded “Not so convinced” while 12% responded “Not at all convinced.” The report also states that American's are 55% in favor of renewable energy and 64% agree that new buildings should meet better energy efficiency standards, yet 49% and 48% strongly opposed increased electricity and gas taxes designed to lower use. It seems that many American's are welcome to the idea of reducing our impact, as long as it does not regard them. Yet, despite whether or not human activity has caused it, the polar ice caps are undoubtetly melting.The polar ice caps are home to many species of wildlife who live under specific conditions, and these changes can prove fatal, if allowed to continue. Therefore, at the least, more research should be done on the part of scientists to find ways to counteract these potentially destructive changes.

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i "American Opinions on Global Warming :: Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies." Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies - Masters of Environmental Management. Web. 01 Nov. 2011.
ii "IPCC Third Assessment Report - Climate Change 2001 - Complete Online Versions | UNEP/GRID-Arendal - Publications - Other." Environmental Knowledge For Change. UNEP. Web. 01 Nov. 2011. .

Good research there scooks, and thanks for replying. I think it is the same in a lot of Counties, if you ask people if they would prefer to live in a cleaner, greener World the vast majority would say yes. It's when you come down to the effect it would have on their everyday lives, in terms of costs in energy, and fuel prices, and the changes that they would have to make to their lifestyles, that the negativity comes in. The changes needed have to be Government led, the problem there is every Government wants to be re elected, and whilst some Governments may have the desire to make these changes, very few have the political will to carry them through.
The UK Government has made some bold moves towards reducing the UK's carbon footprint, with a lot of emphasis on renewable energy sources, but the costs of doing this are only now beginnig to be realised in price that people will have to pay on their energy bills, and I begin to sense a lack of enthusiasm creeping in to meet these costs, given the state of the economy here, and World wide. I have a feeling that some of the targets set will be reduced, or the time scale extended to counteract the scale of the increased costs.
I do'nt think the last Americam Administrations, have really acknowledged the extent or problems of Global warming, out of a 192 Countries,America was the only one not to ratify the Kyoto agreement, and has always seemed to have held back when it comes to tackling these issues. Barack Obama has made some noises about it, but again I do'nt think the political will is there, and it's doubtful in his position politicaly if he could carry anything through.
And all the time the clock is ticking

WS

Littlewid, I agree that man is to blame for endangerment of species. Most marine species are being hurt because we are dumping things into the oceans, whether it is garbage, pollutants, or oil. I think that most people are wrapped up in society, and do not help out the endangered species. They most likely do not see how sea otters, or other marine life, have an effect on our everyday life. Although they do not directly affect us, they still help keep our ecosystems balanced. When the wolves were removed from Yellowstone, the ecosystem suffered. Once they were placed back, the cottonwood trees and other species grew and were no longer a threatened species. I would agree with the fact that since they are not “cute and cuddly” or right there in front of us, those marine species are not being helped out as much. Someone would probably be more likely to help a dog out if one was found suffering, as opposed to helping fish tangled up in plastic.

Your right there tayeng, people dont realise how species becoming extinct alters the whole ecosystem balance for all of us. There is a chain reaction, and people dont realise how serious that can be. Life started in the Oceans of the World, and if we are not carefull, and start looking at the conservation of our Oceans, and Seas, it could well end there
WS

Akillz, I concur to your statement about people’s jobs harming animals. One example would be fishing. Fishermen sometimes get their ropes caught up in other species like dolphins, as seen in the thread mentioned. Another example is genetically modifying salmon. In the section “Fat, Sexy Salmon” in the book The Hope, Hype and Reality of Genetic Engineering, it describes how the salmon grow 37 times larger, which makes them more profitable, but they also mate faster. There is the threat that those salmon are escaping from the fish farms and mating with the wild salmon. If this continues, they could potentially wipe out the entire species of wild salmon. Another issue with the salmon being raised in fish farms is the eutrophication. The excessive nutrients are not good for the water, and pose a threat to plant life. Although those issues are generally overlooked, we still are continuing testing products on animals, which usually isn't in the best interest of those tested.

In response to tayeng’s post about man being to blame for the endangerment of species, I agree to what she says about how humans pollute the ocean by dumping waste products into it. Plastics that get stuck around their mouths, noses, or fins kill many animals. They also are many animals that get caught in nets that are left in the ocean by fishing boats. Once an animal becomes endangered, and even extinct, the entire ecosystem is damaged. A species becoming extinct affects humans, animals, and ecosystems. People do not realize that many marine species are endangered; there needs to be more of an emphasis on how to protect and save them. People need to be more proactive and stop polluting the ocean.

I agree with akillz about her post yesterday. In this day and age, global warming has become a hot topic in the news. The awareness has grown due to the outcome of our reckless actions of pollution. By polluting the environment and using their resources, it affects the wildlife and their habitats. Some animals have been forced to leave their habitat due to the unsanitary conditions. Most species are not able to adapt easily causing them hardships and on some occasions leading to extinction. There are many organizations that are aiding endangered animals, unfortunately, hundreds of species have already been affected by pollution which ultimately affects the ecosystem.

Tayeng111, I completely agree with your example of the wolves. Global warming is affecting all the animals. Many animals are hibernating weeks earlier than usual. Some species are loosing weight due to the lack of food. Polar bears are less healthier than they were 20 years ago which is a shockingly short amount of time. Many fish are traveling northward in search of cooler waters. Animals will even notice the additionally 2 degrees in temperature since they are not accustomed to living in this new condition. The temperature plays a large role with animals because it determines how animals act, when animals come out for food, and go to sleep. The chemicals and elements in the water can also affect the animals’s genetics. It is important to make people more aware of these endangered animals.

Whitestarling, I agree with your statement about setting off a chain reaction. People tend to look only in the immediate future regarding their actions and often do not bother seeing the impact it will cause in the future. According to MarineBio Marine conservation, “small corals, invertebrates, and fish are crucial components to ecosystems. There are about 11,000 species less than 1-2 mm and about 15% of those have highly specific niches.” (iI) In addition to this CNN reported in February earlier this year that 75% of coral reefs are threatened currently. (i) People do not realize the seriousness of this as coral reefs set up the most diverse ecosystems on the plant. Almost all sea life is intertwined with coral reefs, directly or indirectly, and if coral reefs were to disappear, it could be devastating to the ocean ecosystems. Like you said in your post whitestarling, life started in the oceans, and if we don’t change our actions, it could end there as well.

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(i) "Report: 75% of Coral Reefs Threatened - CNN." Featured Articles from CNN. 25 Feb. 2011. Web. 02 Nov. 2011.
(ii) "Threatened and Endangered Species - MarineBio.org." MarineBio.org - Marine Biology, Ocean Life Conservation, Sea Creatures, Biodiversity, Oceans Research... Web. 02 Nov. 2011.

•Coral reefs are in crisis, dying at an alarming rate worldwide.

•An estimated 25% of coral reefs have already disappeared and an estimated two-thirds of all coral reefs are at risk today.1

•An estimated 88% of the reefs in Southeast Asia - the most species rich reefs on earth - are at risk.1

•Since 1975, more than 90% of the reefs in the Florida Keys have lost their living coral cover (study by Dr. Phil Dustan).

•Threats to the world's coral reefs include:
◦Pollution
◦Disease
◦Over-fishing
◦Dynamite and cyanide fishing
◦Sedimentation
◦Bleaching caused by rising ocean temperatures
•Called the "rainforests of the sea," coral reefs are the greatest expression of ocean life, and the most biodiverse ecosystem on Earth with 30 of 34 known animal phyla present.

•Unlike the rainforest, there is no comprehensive global baseline map of living coral reefs. This is urgently needed. A satellite mission dedicated to remote sensing of coral reefs can provide this critical global baseline.
1 Please see Reefs at Risk series, World Resources Institute.



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Found this in Coral Reefs Guys if you want to look at the site for more info this is the link
http://www.pcrf.org/reeffacts.html

Some scientists even in this weeks papers are still argueing if Global Warming as a natural cycle, or is man made. I wonder if any of you have found any reports which say it could be both. I've not hear any one expounding this theory

WS

Just found this report, you Guys might be interested in for your project



WS