What is Oil spill?
[[File:Oil-spill.jpg|thumb|[[Kelp]] at an oil spill]] [[File:New Harbor Island, La during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.jpg|thumb|Special barriers limit the spread of the oil spill]] [[File:Oiled bird 3.jpg|thumb|Oil-covered bird, the result of an oil spill]] An '''oil spill''' is the release of a [[liquid]] petroleum [[hydrocarbon]] into the [[environment]]. Oil from ships and oil tankers can spill onto the sea water and pollute the water. [[Oil]] poisons and harms the [[Ocean|aquatic]] organisms and [[Seabird|seabirds]]. The fur of [[Marine mammal|sea mammals]] and the feathers of [[Seabird|seabirds]] can be damaged by the [[oil]]. The animals may suffer, and the effect may be [[fatal]] for them. When birds get soaked in [[oil]], they can't fly and they can't go in water. Most often the term is used for [[Ocean|marine]] environments, where [[coast]]s, [[lake]]s, [[river]]s and [[ocean]]s are polluted. There are three main ways to combat such [[pollution]] once it has occurred: * Use of barriers to limit the pollution to a given zone. * Skimming of the oil with specially constructed ships * Chemical dispersion of the oil * Controlled burning of the oil * [[Bioremediation]], using [[microogranism]]s that consume the oil or oil-related products An oil spill can not only affect the [[Coast|coasts]], [[Lake|lakes]], [[River|rivers]], and [[Ocean|oceans]] but also the environment and the ecosystems. Many animals could get injured and later die without help. Also all the vegetation could be affected by the oil. {{biology-stub}} [[Category:Water pollution]]