BP Oil Spill
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
Source of Oil
Deepwater Horizon oil platform - broken well pipe
Exxon Valdez oil tanker
Date Spill Began
April 20, 2010
March 24, 1989
Total Estimated Oil Spilled
An estimated 172 million gallons
10.8 million gallons
Key Wildlife Species Affected
Brown pelican, reddish egret, royal tern, snowy plover, sperm whale, bluefin tuna, sea turtle. Learn more >>
Salmon, sea otters, seals and sea birds. Learn more >>
How Many Wildlife Died?
TBD. Find out what has been reported to date >>
100,000-250,000 seabirds 2,800 sea otters 12 river otters 300 harbor seals 247 bald eagles 22 orcasbillions of salmon and herring eggs
Long Term Effects
TBD
Still not completely recovered after 20 years:
Still not Recovering after 20 years:
Human Services Still Impaired:
Cause of Spill
Oil well explosion
The tanker struck a reef
Leak Location
5,000 feet below the surface
Mostly on the surface
In 1989 and the years following the Exxon Valdez spill, National Wildlife magazine had in-depth coverage. Check out some of these articles for more information:
Fact Sources:
Wikipedia New York Times – The Oil Spill: Wildlife at Risk New York Times - Size of Spill in Gulf of Mexico Is Larger Than Thought Houston Chronicle McClatchy
Read Previous Articles and Blogs >>
A look at how wildlife and wetlands are faring three years into the Gulf oil disaster
NWF is on-the-ground coordinating the restoration efforts with coalition partners.
The editors of Ranger Rick offer tips for talking about the oil spill with your kids.
In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spilled 10.8 million of oil into the Prince William Sound in Alaska. How will the Gulf oil disaster compare?
Dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico are dying in high numbers. Help hold BP accountable for the spill today!