Restore the Gulf, the official federal government's website
about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, has issued its latest
report in an attempt to track the effect of the BP oil spill on
animals in the region. The group consolidates numbers from
experts on the ground, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
What are the current counts from the November 1st report? The
latest numbers are: 6,104 dead birds, 609 dead sea turtles and
100 dead mammals, including dolphins. The tallies include counts
for five states: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and
Texas. It must be noted that the report constitutes only an
initial, field-level evaluation. Not all of the deaths were
necessarily caused by Deepwater Horizon. Final determination of
cause of death comes later. When found or captured, the
specimens get identification numbers. After initial counts, more
thorough examinations of the birds and wildlife may include a
search for oil in the throat, mouth