Effects on Sea Life
Oil spills at sea are typically extremely more damaging than those on land. This is due to the fact that they can spread thousands of nautical miles very quickly, even if they only cover the surface of the water. Oil spills are incredibly harmful to sea birds, mammals, shellfish, and other marine life.
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- Sea birds are heavily impacted by oil spills -- when oil comes into contact with the plumage of birds, it reduces its insulating ability, making them more vulnerable to changes in temperature, as well as decreasing their buoyancy.
- Many birds exposed to oil experience drastic changes in their hormonal balance; including changes in the amount of luteinising hormone produced, which stimulates ovulation in females.
- Oil may impair a bird's ability to fly, meaning it cannot escape from predators, and may have difficulty finding food.
- Sea birds may accidentally ingest oils, which irritates the digestive tract, as well as causes kidney and liver damage.
- Multiple studies have shown that less than 1% of oil-soaked birds survive without human intervention.
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