by Josephine Polifroni

Created on: June 04, 2010   Last Updated: June 05, 2010

The explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig is a devastating tragedy with many dimensions. The immediate effect was the loss of eleven workers who died as a result of the explosion and the subsequent firestorm. The failure of the blowout preventer and sinking of the rig, as well as the fact that the rig was not equipped with a $500,000 acoustic trigger, resulted in millions of gallons of oil spilling into the Gulf, still ongoing, threatening all forms of life and livelihood in the waters of the Gulf as well as along the coastline.

There are thirty-three wildlife refuges at risk, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, as well as several spots on the Texas coast. Although home to many species, one of the largest single populations at risk is the bird population.

The danger to birds is threefold. Oiled birds cannot fly or swim and consume oil when they are preening their feathers. This activity will increase as they are coated with oil and seek to clean themselves. The food supply is tainted so birds will ingest even more oil while feeding and will feed contaminated food to their young.

Eggs may not hatch if oiled. Habitat is at immediate risk for oil invasion, but it will take years before it recovers. Some areas may never recover as clean up is difficult due to numerous coastal features.

As if the oil itself were not enough, U.S. officials may order contaminated marshlands burned to eliminate the oil, a devastating outcome for these sensitive marshlands.

Add to that the millions of pounds of dispersants in the water, whose short and long-term effects are not known and the fate of these marshlands and their inhabitants is precarious at best, and perhaps doomed at worst.

The strategic location of the refuges along the Gulf coast, puts migratory birds from Alaska to South America at risk as well as shorebirds. According to a 1998 study by Louisiana State University, more than 500 million birds fly over the Gulf along the coastal areas in Louisiana and Texas every spring. Some bird conservationists believe there will be long-term effects on the populations of many of these birds, some already at risk.

Several organizations have lists of places along the Gulf Coast at risk. In addition to the thirty-three refuges mentioned, compiled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the American Bird Conservancy lists ten sites at high risk and the Natural Resources Defense Council

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