part 2:effects of oil

Oil affects wild life :

Oil affects wildlife by coating their bodies with a thick layer. Many oils also become stickier over time (this is called weathering) and so adheres to wildlife even more. Since most oil floats o nthe surface of the water it can effect many marine animals and sea birds. Unfortunately, birds and marine mammals will not necessarily avoid an oil spill. Some marine mammals, such as seals and dolphins, have been seen swimming and feeding in or near an oil spill. Some fish are attracted to oil because it looks like floating food. This endangers sea birds, which are attracted to schools of fish and may dive through oil slicks to get to the fish.
Oil that sticks to fur or feathers, usually crude and bunker fuels, can cause many problems. Some of these problems are:
hypothermia in birds by reducing or destroying the insulation and waterproofing properties of their feathers;
hypothermia in fur seal pups by reducing or destroying the insulation of their woolly fur (called lanugo). Adult fur seals have blubber and would not suffer from hypothermia if oiled. Dolphins and whales do not have fur, so oil will not easily stick to them;
birds become easy prey, as their feathers being matted by oil make them less able to fly away;
marine mammals such as fur seals become easy prey if oil sticks their flippers to their bodies, making it hard for them to escape predators;
birds sink or drown because oiled feathers weigh more and their sticky feathers cannot trap enough air between them to keep them buoyant;
fur seal pups drown if oil sticks their flippers to their bodiesk
birds lose body weight as their metabolism tries to combat low body temperature;
marine mammals lose body weight when they can not feed due to contamination of their environment by oil;
birds become dehydrated and can starve as they give up or reduce drinking, diving and swimming to look for food;
inflammation or infection in dugongs and difficulty eating due to oil sticking to the sensory hairs around their mouths;
disguise of scent that seal pups and mothers rely on to identify each other, leading to rejection, abandonment and starvation of seal pups; and
damage to the insides of animals and birds bodies, for example by causing ulcers or bleeding in their stomachs if they ingest the oil by accident.

This is a video from youtube explains how oil affects sea birds :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwSrJQVGfes

sources :http://www.amsa.gov.au ==>australian maritime safety authority

www.youtube.com