28 years ago, on March 24 1989, Exxon Valdez happened. I worked at the Cinti Zoo at the time. We were all devastated by the event. Being a wild bird rehabilitator at the time I resolved to go help clean up birds. With financial help from some friends i did just that. I spent two weeks in Valdez helping wash wild birds. It was exhausting work but so rewarding to see the birds returned to their world. But we couldnt save all of them - we lost a lot. The best estimates of the number of animals killed by direct contact with the oil are: 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, up to 22 killer whales. These numbers are considered too low by some scientists because many more were never found - so many birds were so sick that they died before they could be helped and most carcasses sunk because they were covered in oil.
The powers to be kept assuring us that after the environmental clean-up the Valdez Sound area would be what it used to be - a pristine heaven for wildlife. Nearly 30 years after the spill, about 20 acres of Prince William Sound shoreline are still contaminated with thousands of gallons of oil. The oil is just as toxic as it was right after the spill. It is decomposing no more than 4.0% a year. It could take centuries to completely dissipate. I suppose our avarice for oil will ultimately destroy the earth. 28 years ago it destroyed a peace of heaven.
I still get angry when I think about it.
What Was the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill?
The powers to be kept assuring us that after the environmental clean-up the Valdez Sound area would be what it used to be - a pristine heaven for wildlife. Nearly 30 years after the spill, about 20 acres of Prince William Sound shoreline are still contaminated with thousands of gallons of oil. The oil is just as toxic as it was right after the spill. It is decomposing no more than 4.0% a year. It could take centuries to completely dissipate. I suppose our avarice for oil will ultimately destroy the earth. 28 years ago it destroyed a peace of heaven.
I still get angry when I think about it.
What Was the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill?
