Ever Seen An Oily Sea Otter?
Jim Curland - Defenders of Wildlife
Have you ever seen an oily sea otter? It’s not a pretty sight. Oil pollution can poison these playful marine mammals. It can coat their fur, depriving them of their ability to keep warm… and, ultimately, to survive.
Until September 21st, Secretary Salazar will be reviewing an offshore drilling proposal that the Bush administration green-lighted in its final days. This reckless plan would pave the way for industrializing America’s coasts, threatening…
- Sea otters off the coasts of California, the Pacific Northwest, and Alaska;
- Endangered sea turtles off Florida’s coasts and in the Gulf of Mexico;
- Threatened polar bears in the Chukchi Sea;
- Endangered North Pacific right whales; and
- Scores of marine birds and other species that rely on clean, healthy coasts to survive.
The dangers of offshore drilling -- and the transportation of oil and gas that comes with it -- are well-known.
Drilling rigs spew air pollution and toxic mercury emissions that can poison marine wildlife. Oil and gas exploration activities, including equipment that blasts high intensity pulses, may cause disruption in feeding, migration and other essential behaviors in endangered whales.
And increased tanker traffic raises the specter of another cataclysmic oil spill that could wreck the beautiful beaches where millions of Americans live or vacation. It’s not hard to find examples of the threat that oil and fuel spills cause…
- Since August 21st, an oil rig off Australia’s northwest coast began spewing oil into the East Timor Sea, threatening turtles, whales, dolphins, sea birds and sea snakes.
- In July, an underwater pipeline that carries oil from offshore drilling leaked about 58,800 gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
- In November, 2007, a cargo vessel spilled approximately 58,000 gallons of medium grade fuel into the San Francisco Bay. Marbled murrelets, brown pelicans and western snowy plovers -- all federally protected threatened or endangered species -- were killed in the incident.
Say “No!” to more dangerous spills and more dirty drilling. Send a message to Secretary Salazar now.
Big Oil and their corporate lobbyists have mounted a multi-million dollar nation-wide campaign to convince Salazar and other decision-makers to hand over our coasts to their dirty drilling schemes. For the sake of our sea otters and other marine wildlife, will you help us stop them?
With Gratitude,
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Jim Curland Marine Program Associate Defenders of Wildlife |
Help Stop Oil Spills and Save Sea Otters
Offshore oil and gas drilling could increase spills and kill sea otters and other wildlife.
