The bodies of dead little dolphins are nailed to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in record numbers. So, in the period from February 2010 to April 2011, 406 individuals of bottlenose dolphins were found there
Scientists and wildlife experts still do not know why this is happening, but it is possible that last year's accident at the Deepwater Horizon oil platform involving BP is to blame.
“This is a very complex case that needs analysis,” says Blair Mays, coordinator for the agency's marine mammal behavior research. Today, she and her colleagues are working closely with various agencies to try to figure out why bottlenose dolphins die in such large numbers, and also why mammals are so young. "These are mostly very young dolphins, which are no more than 115 centimeters in length," says Blair Mays.
Marine mammals at such a young age are particularly susceptible to harmful algal blooms, infectious diseases, sudden temperature fluctuations, and human exposure. So, according to Blair Mays, 15 individuals were found with oily marks on the body. However, this is not yet confirmation that they died in the accident in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010.
Scientists are also concerned about the number of sea turtles being washed ashore. An abnormally large number of broom turtles have been found on the beaches of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Most of them belong to the Kemp Ridley breed, which has been threatened with extinction since 1970. Fewer than 100 ejections have been recorded since January 1, with 87 cases occurring in mid-March. Unfortunately, only a third of the turtle bodies are suitable for examination. Today, tissue samples from both turtles and dolphins are well documented in response to ongoing civil and criminal lawsuits against BP, according to Marine Mammal Protection Program Coordinator Dr. Teri Rawls.
As you know, as a result of oil leakage from a damaged well, about 4 million barrels of combustible mixture got into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Only in early August were the company's specialists able to eliminate the problem. However, by that time, oil had reached the shores of five American states: Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. BP's losses from the oil spill exceed a record $ 6 billion.