Pelicans in Peril

These are pelicans which are now back on the endangered species list (having recently come off) thanks to the oil spill that is coating them with black sludge. It is heartbreaking to see the photos of once white birds, completely black, trying to fly.

Barataria Bay, along the Louisiana coast, is a refuge for pelicans and home to thousands. These protected marshlands are one of the reasons for the proliferation of the shore birds, many of which are now encrusted with oil.

Officials say the birds try to clean the crude from their bodies by splashing in the water and preening. But their efforts are often in vain as more and more oil contaminates the water in which they are trying to wash themselves.

According to the AP, "Pelicans are especially vulnerable to oil. Not only could they eat tainted fish and feed it to their young, but they could die of hypothermia or drowning if they're soaked in oil."

Wildlife officials have suspended efforts at trying to rescue the birds, since this only spooked them. "They said sometimes it is better to leave the animals alone than disturb their colony."

Please do not buy BP gasoline or any other products with their label, ever.