oil spills and wildlife

An introduction to oil spills that describes the negative effects of spills caused by ships, drilling, and underwater pipelines on the surrounding environment, and also explains how to clean up and prevent oil related disasters. Presented in graphic form.

African Penguins are in trouble. Sandra Markle shines light on a current issue of species conservation and innovative approaches to address it, sure to tug at heartstrings and captivate young ecologists and animal lovers of all stripes.

Dyan deNapoli, known as "the Penguin Lady," describes the efforts taken by her, along with 12,500 volunteers from around the world, to save the penguins native to the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, when a massive oil spill in 2000 contaminated the water and home of over forty percent of the world's penguin population.

In this Cousteau Society special report, Jean-Michel Cousteau takes us on a voyage to investigate first-hand the devastating impact of the U.S.'s largest oil spill. The Cousteau team questions the lack of precautions, laments the slow clean-up response, and outlines preventive measures so such a disaster may never happen again.

On June 23, 2000 the iron ore carrier MV Treasure foundered off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa spilling 1,300 tons of oil into the ocean and contaminating the habitat of 75,000 penguins. A massive rescue effort was launched to de-oil the penguins and nurse them back to health. Nearly all of the birds survived.

Provides an account of the oil spill disaster that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico in the spring of 2010 when an offshore oil rig exploded, and explains what oil is, where it comes from, and why it is needed.