How do oil spills affect animals?

Since most oils float, the creatures most affected by oil are animals like sea otters and seabirds that are found on the sea surface or on shorelines if the oil comes ashore. During most oil spills, seabirds are harmed and killed in greater numbers than other kinds of creatures. read more

In general, oil spills can affect animals and plants in two ways: from the oil itself and from the response or cleanup operations. Understanding both types of impacts can help spill responders minimize overall impacts to ecological communities and help them to recover much more quickly. read more

Oil spills are harmful to marine birds and mammals as well as fish and shellfish. Following an oil spill, there are specialists and veterinarians to deal with oiled wildlife. These experts are trained on how to clean oil from animals, rehabilitate them, and return them to the environment. read more

Oil spills can affect ocean habitat, both offshore and onshore. Before an oil spill reaches the shore, the oil can poison plankton and other pelagic marine life. Onshore, it can cover rocks, marine algae, and marine invertebrates. The Exxon Valdez spill coated 1,300 miles of coastline, initiating a massive cleanup effort. read more