Oil+Spills+affect+the+ecosystem

Oil Spills have a big affect on the ecosystem. One of the major things being animals and birds in the sea. Fish, shrimp, and crabs, water birds, sea otters, sea lions, seals, and killer whales. The oil gets into their bodies and they die of suffocation. All these creatures swallow the oil and breathe in the poisonous fumes. Their bodies become coated with oil and thousands of them die in no time. Oil floats on salt water and usually floats on fresh water. Very heavy oil can sometimes sink in fresh water, but this happens very rarely. Oil usually spreads out rapidly across the water surface to form a thin layer. As the spreading process continues the layer becomes thinner and thinner which looks like a rainbow. Depending on the on where you are oil spills can be very harmful to marine birds and mammals, and also can harm fish and shellfish.Oil destroys sea otters fur, and the water-repelling abilities of a bird's feathers, Many birds and animals also swallow oil when they try to clean themselves, which can poison them. So Oil affects the ecosystem alot and could endanger some of our wonderfull animals!

By:Tiffany