From the Inbox: Please help wildlife as 21 days later the spill rages on

Dear Friend, The battle to stop the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico rages on, despite efforts this weekend to halt its flow. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil continue to ooze into Gulf waters with each passing day. The orange sludge of oil and chemical dispersants have washed up along the shore of coastal Louisiana, and clumps of black tar were found Saturday on Alabama’s Dauphin Island. Officially, at least 3.5 million gallons have gushed into the ocean since the oil rig first exploded, but recent satellite data leads some scientists to believe the spill is actually far larger. And 21 days later we still don’t know when it will stop. Please help today. So far, two gannets — seabirds that winter in the Gulf — have been found dead, drenched in oil. This wrongly suggests there may not be much damage to wildlife. But in fact, there are likely to be extensive long-term affects to the region’s wildlife. The mile deep spill source and the oil dispersants have put huge quantities of toxic oil directly into the water, rather than on the water surface like many other oil spills. The toxic oil is directly mixing with and poisoning Gulf waters and the marine organisms living there. And that’s why your help is needed now. New reports indicate that high wind activity is pushing oil closer and closer to fragile wetlands off the coast of Louisiana. Four National Wildlife Refuges, located in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, are in immediate danger: Breton Island: Provides habitat for 23 species of sea birds and 13 species of nesting birds, including brown pelicans, laughing gulls and royal terns. Bon Secour: Contains 7,000 acres of habitat for over 370 species of migratory birds. Loggerhead sea turtles use the refuge’s beaches as nesting sites. Grand Bay: The brown pelican can be found in this 10,000 acre area located in coastal Mississippi and Alabama. Delta: Comprised of over 48,000 acres of marshlands and open water. This refuge provides sanctuary for wintering waterfowl and other species including the American alligator and Arctic peregrine falcon. Oil is still leaking, and wildlife and wild places stand to suffer dire consequences from this tragedy for many years to come. Please help today by donating to NWF’s Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Larry Schweiger President & CEO