For the first time, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) has just released a catalog of bird species impacted by the Gulf oil disaster. The information is being released in the wake of a National Wildlife Federation Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking the data.
Laughing gulls, brown pelicans & northern gannets are the species with the highest totals of dead birds. You can see today's report (PDF) and see future updates at the FWS Deepwater Horizon Response.
It's unclear at this point why the FWS report lists only 4,676 birds, while the latest Deepwater Horizon Response Consolidated Fish & Wildlife Report lists 8,009 birds.
FWS only released the data a little over an hour ago, so NWF scientists haven't had time to conduct an in-depth review of the data yet. However, I just spoke with Dr. Doug Inkley, NWF's senior scientist, who told me his first impression was that with dozens of species listed, it's clear that a wide diversity of shorebirds were impacted by the Gulf oil disaster.
Posts
It's simple, people always downplay the true horror of a bad situation.
Posted by: LilyMarlaina | September 16, 2010 at 11:25 AM
We must continue to help the affected species for as long as it takes.
Posted by: Debbie Beracha | September 16, 2010 at 12:01 PM
This is so disturbing! Our government is so corrupt!! Why can't we use ethanol??? Too much money involved with govt. officials. Thats RIDICULOUS!! What happened to our higher officials taking care of our country...they don't care. THEY ARE DESTROYING EVERYTHING to put money in their pocket. Time to over throw everyone in office and take things into our own hands.
Posted by: Clara Hughes | September 16, 2010 at 12:13 PM
They need our help now and for years to come. This tragity will effect our wildlife and god only knows how many generations to come, but without our help many more will continue to die.
Posted by: Diana Weems | September 16, 2010 at 12:21 PM
BP says they are going to pay for the cleanup, but does that include the big picture?
Posted by: Diana Weems | September 16, 2010 at 12:22 PM
BP
You have LIED AGAIN.
Take care of YOUR MISTAKE IMMEDIATELY by taking care of our LIVING CREATURES GOD GAVE US!
Posted by: Kathryn Cathell | September 16, 2010 at 12:36 PM
There can be no way to count the damage in numbers. What happened under the waves? How many birds were eaten by sharks? Man is not capable of knowing, as the disaster was so very extensive. We will all be paying for this for years to come. We did not protect the animals we were put on this planet to take care of. Money has become the god of those who have forgotten the real God.
Posted by: Debra | September 16, 2010 at 01:05 PM
It's pretty clear from the FAQ posted on the FWS website that their numbers are verified data. The preliminary data that has not been verified has been available since early on. If you are wondering why they have just released these numbers it is perhaps because it takes time to verify data and because many fish and wildlife personnel have been responding to the oil spill. I am surprised that NWF is posting a release on this without knowing the facts and trying to imply corruption in the USFWS. NWF will be going on the list of organizations I will no longer support because I now question your integrity and the competence of your "scientists".
Posted by: Kristen | September 16, 2010 at 01:06 PM
I spent a week in the gulf volunteering for LLB, and I know for a fact this tragedy is bigger than being reported by our so called (free press)BS...they were stationed at Plaquemines Parish the whole week I was there and nothing of what was going on was reported, so who owns them? we all know and answer. We have to save our Oceans and the animals that depend on it for survival.
Posted by: Tena Garlick | September 16, 2010 at 01:25 PM
Well BP,
I still stand on the original boycott, I still have not bought anything related from the companies and do not bank with Chase as you do..........I wear a band that says Stop the Spill...I think I need to purchase another for the Pelicans...you color coated your way out as usual. Large companies like you have so much to lose and your greed is unstoppable it seems. Well not with me .....I think this tragedy could have been avoided....why did you have to be the first to tap a line so deep that you could not repair it if something happened....to late now !!! Anyone interested in joining me here's a site to purchase a wrist band. Small donation but something is better than nothing....http://www.protectourgulf.com/......
Posted by: Tammy Combs | September 16, 2010 at 01:26 PM
Well BP,
I still stand on the original boycott, I still have not bought anything related from the companies and do not bank with Chase as you do..........I wear a band that says Stop the Spill...I think I need to purchase another for the Pelicans...you color coated your way out as usual. Large companies like you have so much to lose and your greed is unstoppable it seems. Well not with me .....I think this tragedy could have been avoided....why did you have to be the first to tap a line so deep that you could not repair it if something happened....to late now !!! Anyone interested in joining me here's a site to purchase a wrist band. Small donation but something is better than nothing....http://www.protectourgulf.com/......
Posted by: Tammy Combs | September 16, 2010 at 01:26 PM
BP makes me sick. They are only gonna do as little as they can. All these creature's need us to help protect them, because if we don't they have nobody. That's piss's me off to no ends. They all need to realize that every time they go in their habitat it's the same as them coming over going in our living rooms. We don't like it. They should be some kind of bounderie's to keep them out. We're tired of it. Live and Let Live.
Posted by: cynthia | September 16, 2010 at 01:33 PM
It is extremely important to keep on helping the species affected all over the world
Posted by: Elia Pgollo | September 16, 2010 at 02:35 PM
It is extremely important to keep on helping the species affected all over the world
Posted by: Elia Pgollo | September 16, 2010 at 02:35 PM
SO DISHEARTENING TO SEE A DISASTER HAPPEN!LETS HELP IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM!FORGET THE BLAME FOR NOW!LETS JUST HELP CLEAN UP THE DISASTER!
Posted by: CAROL LEE ARSENAULT | September 16, 2010 at 02:42 PM
Dear God. WHAT HAVE WE DONE. We must help anyway we can. Financially, volunteering and above all by praying. Praying that spieces of God's creations will not be lost to the "greed of man". BP has made a lot of money, but AT WHAT COST?
Posted by: Bowwowgranny | September 16, 2010 at 02:58 PM
ah did anyione notice that kirsten defender of the government is probably drawing her paycheck from the corrup feds
Posted by: josette mohler | September 16, 2010 at 03:45 PM
And who will compensate the live of the animals, and whom?
We must STOP with this, but STOP definitivelly. Clean energies, no more petrol !!!
Posted by: Carlos Eduardo Fernández Aagaard | September 16, 2010 at 05:34 PM
The system humanity has created will not cease. Man has yet to realize on the collective level that it is the earth's environment holding all the cards for humanity and not the other way around. This is common sense to anyone (even those who tear this earth apart) yet it continues. We are a juggernaut of destruction. Collective thought will be our end. I believe we are too late to turn it around.
Posted by: Christopher Babb | September 16, 2010 at 07:07 PM
Once again we've been lied to by big business (in this case) one of the largest suppliers of oil. BP, do the right thing for once and help the wildlife. You've lied so much it is second nature to you now.
Posted by: Phyllis Ryan | September 16, 2010 at 07:50 PM
It's appalling that this even happened in the first place. Let alone how long it is taking for the clean, and the lack of responsibility shown by BP. I pray all those helpless animals are saved but as well see here the death toll is getting ridiculous. If they were human this would never have happened. We all have beating hearts why aren't they treated with the same respect as us?
Posted by: ElizabethMD | September 17, 2010 at 12:53 AM
Oh my god what we have done .. we wnat to live but why we not permitted to live to birds & other wild animals .....
My god pls save the same ..
Posted by: Neeraj | September 17, 2010 at 02:46 AM
Oh my god what we have done .. we wnat to live but why we not permitted to live to birds & other wild animals .....
My god pls save the same ..
Posted by: Neeraj | September 17, 2010 at 02:46 AM
Please support our wildlife, THEY WERE HERE FIRST!
Posted by: Linda | September 17, 2010 at 09:00 AM
This is happening in America where it is believed that one can get any information with the snap of the fingers, suppose this spill had occurred in Nigeria's Niger Delta, even Humans affected cannot and will not be accounted for. If only we realize that we and the Animals form the cycle of life we did be more careful.
Posted by: Michael | September 17, 2010 at 09:11 AM
This is happening in America where it is believed that one can get any information with the snap of the fingers, suppose this spill had occurred in Nigeria's Niger Delta, even Humans affected cannot and will not be accounted for. If only we realize that we and the Animals form the cycle of life we did be more careful.
Posted by: Michael | September 17, 2010 at 09:11 AM
This is happening in America where it is believed that one can get any information with the snap of the fingers, suppose this spill had occurred in Nigeria's Niger Delta, even Humans affected cannot and will not be accounted for. If only we realize that we and the Animals form the cycle of life we did be more careful.
Posted by: Michael | September 17, 2010 at 09:11 AM
This is happening in America where it is believed that one can get any information with the snap of the fingers, suppose this spill had occurred in Nigeria's Niger Delta, even Humans affected cannot and will not be accounted for. If only we realize that we and the Animals form the cycle of life we did be more careful.
Posted by: Michael | September 17, 2010 at 09:11 AM
BP and all the other oil companies are destroying our planet.Trees are the planets LUNGS,oil is the planets BLOOD and rain is the planets TEARS.
Posted by: Richard | September 17, 2010 at 03:17 PM