This week, MSNBC did a segment with NBC reporter Kerry Sanders, who was live in East Grand Terre Island, LA, one of the places hardest hit by the BP oil spill. The area is covered with “thick, goopy oil” that is “hot because the oil absorbs the heat of the sun.” Sanders talked about the deadly mix of oil and heat for wildlife:
As you know, a bird has a natural repellent in its feathers that keeps the water out. That’s a little area “” a little cushion “” that keeps it cool. Well, this oil here gets on those feathers, and they lose that little insulation. And then, when you have this oil at 100+ degrees, the bird experts say, it begins to literally cook the birds.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
An AP journalist ventured a dive into the polluted Gulf of Mexico, describing what he saw was extremely “scary.” After coming out of the water, he reflects, “To be honest, I look a little like one of those poor pelicans we’ve all been seeing for days now. The oil is so thick and sticky, almost like a cake batter. It does not wipe off. You have to scrape it off, in layers until you finally get close to the skin. Then you pour on some Dawn dishwashing soap and scrub. I think to myself: No fish, no bird, no turtle would ever be able to clean this off of themselves. If any animal, any were to end up in this same puddle there is almost no way they could escape.”