Question: How do oil spills effect the enviroment?

Joanna Bagniewska answered on 20 Jun 2016:

Oil spills affect the environment in a lot of ways, and the damage they cause can last for decades. The oil coats everything that it touches – clinging to every grain of sand on the beach, every rock, plant and animal. Marine plants absorb the oil, which damages them therefore destroys habitats for many species, like sea turtles. Sea birds get coated in oil, which means that not only are they not able to fly, but also their waterproofing and insulation abilities are destroyed. When the birds try to clean themselves off they often swallow the oil and poison themselves.
The oil can clog the blow holes of whales and dolphins, which makes it impossible for the animals to breathe properly and to communicate. The oil that sticks to the fur of otters and seals leaves them unable to regulate their body temperature – they lose heat very rapidly.
Fish, shellfish and other marine life get poisoned with oil, and their eggs become deformed because of the oil that they absorb.
Oil spills are terrible, terrible disasters.