10 Gulf oil spill animals could go extinct

Mother Nature Network has a slide show of 10 animals they say are "at risk for extinction" from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

For a handful of species, however, the spill may be the final nail in the coffin. The situation is so dire that one major online gambling site has begun allowing bets on which Gulf animals are most likely to be declared extinct first.

Among the list are:

- Great Lakes Piping Plover (picture): their foraging areas are coastlines that washed up oil now covers.

- Smalltooth and Largetooth Sawfish: while the largetooth "may already be extinct in the region," the smalltooth nursery areas are in the oil spill's path.

- Manatees: the oil is spilling into these endangered animals' summer habitat off Florida which could prompt a "massive" rescue and removal effort.

Read the full story: 10 animals at risk of extinction from Gulf oil spill

Photo from Steven Senne / AP

Gulf hotels offer oil-free or your money back

USA Today reports that several Gulf Coast hotels are now offering oil-free beaches guarantees.

This is in the wake of the BP oil spill which is still currently spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico and affecting some beaches bordering the area.

"It's frustrating to get the word out that the beaches are fine," says Park Brady, CEO of ResortQuest International, one of the largest operators of vacation rental companies on the coast.

ResortQuest, which typically charges a 15% deposit and full payment shortly before arrival, is issuing full refunds if customers can't use the beach. "It eased a lot of fears," Brady says.

Read the full story: Gulf Coast hotels roll out oil-free beach guarantees

Photo by Michael Spooneybarger / AP

Oil-affected sea turtles won't be "incinerated alive"; BP, enviro groups, US Coast Guard

Reuters reports that an agreement between BP, environmental groups and the U.S. Coast Guard to burn off oil in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill won't burn sea turtles caught up in the oil.

Under the accord reached in talks on Thursday evening and Friday morning, the parties agreed to a plan allowing biologists or other trained wildlife observers to accompany oil-incineration vessels at sea to remove as many turtles as possible from designated areas before burning starts.

Private boat captains chartered for wildlife rescue missions in the Gulf said in affidavits filed with the lawsuit that young sea turtles tend to congregate among oil blobs floating in the water, apparently unable to distinguish between the oil and mats of seaweed that provide natural shelter on the surface of the Gulf.

The turtles are then presumably swept up and unable to escape when shrimp boats contracted for cleanup operations are used to drag fire-resistant booms to encircle the floating oil before it is set ablaze.

Read the full story: Deal struck to save turtles from Gulf oil burns

Photo from Tour de Turtles

Oil spill exhibit at Iowa aquarium

USA Today reports on the Iowa aquarium exhibiting Gulf of Mexico oil spill consequences.

The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa was set to display Gulf of Mexico highlights, but decided to change the exhibit after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster; which continues to affect the area.

The main tank — the size of a school bus — will contain water and artificial coral, its sides adorned with window stickers that look like oil.

"It will look like the oil is sinking down and about to cover the coral, which will kill the coral," said Jerry Enzler, the museum's executive director.

Anywhere from 67 million to 127 million gallons of oil have spilled since the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig that killed 11 workers and blew out a well 5,000 feet underwater. BP PLC was leasing the rig from owner Transocean Ltd.

[The exhibit] will be a powerful message, said Steve Feldman, a spokesman for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a nonprofit accrediting group based in Silver Springs, Md.

"The upclose connection to animals is very powerful. It's part of how we teach our children about nature and in this case, man's impact on nature," Feldman said.

Read the full story: Iowa aquarium exhibit highlights oil spill

Photo from National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium via AP

Gulf oil spill volunteering

Peter Greenberg Worldwide has a comprehensive guide for Gulf oil spill volunteering.

Volunteering is a noble way to spend a vacation but during this oil spill disaster make sure you have a solid volunteer offer before going to any of the areas affected.

Each state has its own resource where potential volunteers can register their information. Registration does not mean you’re guaranteed a volunteer position. Participants will be contacted only on an as-needed basis and local candidates will be considered first. If you do reach out to an organization to offer help, please make sure it’s connected with its state service commission.

• United We Serve/National: www.serve.gov/oilspill.asp
• Mississippi: www.volunteermississippi.org
• Alabama: www.servealabama.gov
• Florida: www.volunteerflorida.org
• Louisiana: www.volunteerlouisiana.gov

While local officials appreciate that visitors want to come and help, there is logic behind the limitations. Louisiana Service Commission Executive Director, Janet Pace, explains, she does not want to “put a good-hearted, well-meaning volunteers in harm’s way,” without a better understanding of the health hazards associated with the oil.

PGW also gives alternative ways to help like: coastline monitoring, adopting a pelican, and helping out the people affected.

Read the full story: BP Oil Spill News: Volunteer Guide - Helping Gulf Oil Clean-Up Efforts

Photo from PeterGreenberg.com

Oil turns FL beaches black

CNN reports on the miles of oil from the BP Gulf Coast oil spill now coating the beaches of Florida's panhandle.

The famous white sand beaches around Pensacola are now black with oil and the water is unsafe to swim in.

More than two months after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, Pensacola awoke Wednesday to the largest onslaught of black crude on Florida's coast, as more than nine miles of white shoreline and beaches were soaked with syrupy oil.

A health advisory has been issued by Escambia County for parts of Pensacola Beach and Fort Pickens.

"It's pretty ugly. There's no question about it," Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said. "It does break your heart."

Tourists are canceling their reservations to the normally bustling summer tourist area.

Read the full story: Oil soaks miles of Pensacola Beach

Photo from James Amerson / CNN iReport

BP to use oil filtration machines made by actor Kevin Costner

Mother Nature Network reports that BP will use several of actor Kevin Costner's oil filtration machines in efforts to clean up their continuing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

After more than 20 years of development and $25 million in personal investment, the actor's oil-separation centrifuges were given the green light by BP last night.

"We were confident the technology would work, but we needed to test it at the extremes. We've done that and are excited by the results," said Doug Suttles, BP's chief operating officer. "We are very pleased with the results and today we have placed a significant order with OTS [Costner's Ocean Therapy Solutions] and will be working with them to rapidly manufacture and deploy 32 of their machines."

Read the full story: Kevin Costner's oil filtration tech gets BP 'excited'

Photo by Susan Walsh / AP

Biofuel discharge is bad for environment

The New York Times reports on oily and polluting discharges in an Alabama river that were ultimately traced back to biofuel production. Although considered "natural" and "non-toxic," the glycerin and vegetable oil byproducts that leaked into the Alabama water sources choked off oxygen supplies to native species:

"Bruce P. Hollebone, a researcher with Environment Canada in Ottawa and one of the world’s leading experts on the environmental impact of vegetable oil and glycerin spills said 'but as with most organic materials, oil and glycerin deplete the oxygen content of water very quickly, and that will suffocate fish and other organisms. And for birds, a vegetable oil spill is just as deadly as a crude oil spill.'"

Read the full story: Pollution is called a byproduct of a 'clean' fuel