Spectators Watch Orcas Swim Through Oil Spill

Transporting hazardous materials on barges has been a cause for concern to the environment. Because clean-up costs have to be financed by the guilty party, when spills occur many companies won't report it. Very few are caught when these "hit and run" occurs, so spills just make their way into the Ocean's habitat destroying the sea-life.

In this case however Ted Leroy Trucking reported their accidental spill off the norther tip of Vancouver Island and have commissioned a clean-up crew to recover the 14 kilometres long diesel fuel, floating on top of the sea water. The area, called Robson Bight, is home to some 60 orca whales, some of which have been seen swimming through the diesel spill.

"Peter Ross, a marine mammal toxicologist with the Federal Institute of Ocean Sciences, said he's concerned the orcas might inhale the oil vapours, develop lesions on their lungs, get pneumonia or even die." CBC.ca

More needs to be done to prevent these spills from occurring by regulating what can and cannot be transported over the water.

Source: CBC.ca

Video Footage of Orka's Swimming Through Oil Slick

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[ READER COMMENTS ]

1

Joshy 79 said:

poor orca

Posted at 08:21 PM, on August 22 2007

Spectators Watch Orcas Swim Through Oil Spill

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