Saving Animals from Oil Spills

Biologist Kayla DiBenedetto rescued pelicans that were covered in brown sticky oil off of the coast of Louisiana after the largest oil spill in U.S. Waters in 2010. In colorful photographs, maps and captions this book describes how a pipe on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig cracked. Workers tried to seal the leak but the oil continued gushing out for nearly three months. Almost a half million gallons of oil flowed from the pipe into the Gulf of Mexico every single day. Scientists, like Kayla, rescued pelicans and other animals to clean and rinse the oil off their bodies so that they wouldn’t die. Photographs depicting pelicans covered in oil before they were cleaned and after they were cleaned are very telling. The book also discusses other oil disasters such as the Exxon Valdez spill. The book also includes a glossary, bibliography and more information. Thankfully scientists, rescue workers and volunteers respond quickly to oil spills helping animals survive.