An oil spill like is a disaster on many levels -- maybe none more tragic than the deadly effects of petroleum on wildlife.
Ocean creatures that swim in deep waters are less affected by spills. But oil disasters near coastlines often do the most harm to shorebirds and marine mammals who live at the ocean's edge and on its surface.
"These critters are living right where the floating oil accumulates," says , a professor of environmental science at California State University Channel Islands, adding, "This oil is toxic to everything."
Here's a closer look at how some species of marine life are affected by oil spills.
And if you want to help wildlife rescue efforts in the wake of the spill, you can .
Coastal birds can be especially vulnerable because the oil covers the surface of the ocean, where they feed, and washes onto beaches, fouling their nesting areas.
In California this most often affects brown pelicans, grebes, gulls, cormorants, plovers and other birds.
When birds become covered in oil, it renders their feathers useless for keeping them insulated and warm. Birds also instinctually preen themselves to remove anything on their feathers, which exposes them to ingesting toxic amounts of oil, Anderson says.
"The visuals are heartbreaking," says Anderson. "Even a person who knows nothing about biology can see how birds are affected."
Oiled birds returning to their nests also can contaminate their eggs and chicks with oil.
Dolphins are migratory and will often swim to safer waters if they smell or taste oil, Anderson says.
But the playful mammals have been sickened and killed by spills, which can spew toxic fumes from the petroleum chemicals floating on the ocean's surface. Two dolphins were found dead after a May 2015 oil spill near Santa Barbara, Calif.,
Oil spills also can be deadly for blue whales, gray whales, humpbacks and other species. Exposure to toxic oil fumes has been recognized to kill whales and dolphins even years later, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.
Unlike dolphins, sea lions are territorial and less likely to flee their coastal region, even if it gets fouled with oil, Anderson says.
This makes them more vulnerable to being poisoned by oil, which can seep into their mouths when they break the surface of the water to breathe.
The sea otter remains endangered after being targeted by hunters in the 1800s and early 1900s for its fur. The aquarium crowd-pleaser can be found in coastal waters of the Pacific, from Alaska to central California.
Oil can slicken otters' fur, causing them to lose their insulation and die from hypothermia -- much in the same way that oil harms birds.
These thumb-sized critters burrow in the sand where surf breaks on beaches, making them vulnerable when oil washes ashore.
"They're right in harm's way," Anderson says.
High concentrations of oil kill the adult crabs, while lower amounts can harm their babies and eggs. These invertebrates are a key element of our beach ecosystem because "everybody eats them," Anderson says. "They are incredibly important to a range of species."
Trace amounts of oil in seawater can kill larval lobsters while they are still plankton floating in the water, .
As a result, an oil spill could potentially devastate a region's lobsters -- and its lobster fishing industry -- five to seven years later, when those larval lobsters would have reached market size, the institute says.
Some thicker oils sink to the bottom of the ocean, where they are ingested by rockfish, white croakers and other species that feed in the ocean's depths.
The oil won't necessarily kill them, Anderson says, but the toxins accumulate in their livers and other organs, making them unhealthy for humans to eat.
The people of Fort Chipewyan believe the federal government believe the federal government knew its water was contaminated and hid the issue for years. Now the chief of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is leading the call for immediate action.
The death toll from Hurricane Helene inched up to 227 on Saturday as the grim task of recovering bodies continued more than a week after the monster storm ravaged the Southeast and killed people in six states.
A driver suffered only minor injuries after going airborne in a residential neighbourhood in Maple Ridge, B.C., on Friday, the car eventually landing on its roof in someone鈥檚 backyard.
Donald Trump returned on Saturday to the Pennsylvania fairgrounds where he was nearly assassinated in July, holding a sprawling rally with thousands of supporters in a critical swing state Trump hopes to return to his column in November's election.
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.
The owners of a North York condominium say they are facing a $70,000 special assessment to fix their building's parking garage. '$70,000 is a lot of money. It makes me very nervous and stressed out of nowhere for this huge debt to come in,' said Ligeng Guo.
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Demonstrators converged on downtown Ottawa Saturday afternoon as part of a global day of action to protest Israel's military actions in the Middle East.
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Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.
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The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.
Powerful new explosions rocked Beirut's southern suburbs late Saturday as Israel expanded its bombardment in Lebanon, striking a Palestinian refugee camp deep in the north for the first time as it targeted both Hezbollah and Hamas fighters.
Donald Trump returned on Saturday to the Pennsylvania fairgrounds where he was nearly assassinated in July, holding a sprawling rally with thousands of supporters in a critical swing state Trump hopes to return to his column in November's election.
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A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.
French authorities said four migrants, including a two-year-old child, died Saturday in two separate incidents as they attempted to cross the English Channel toward Britain.
A rural Colorado county courthouse beefed up security Friday after threats were made against staff and a judge who sentenced former county clerk Tina Peters to nearly nine years behind bars for her role in a data breach scheme catalyzed by the lie that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeatedly reiterated calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East on Saturday as he blamed Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel for a staggering number of civilian deaths.
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NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but if the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure.
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Convenience store firms that operate thousands of outlets across Canada are taking the federal government to court to overturn regulations that restrict the sale of nicotine pouches to pharmacies.
Scientists announced on Thursday a milestone in neurobiological research with the mapping of the entire brain of an adult fruit fly, a feat that may provide insight into brains across the animal kingdom, including people.
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Alphabet's Google is testing showing check marks next to certain companies on its search results, a company spokesperson said on Friday, in a move aimed at helping users identify verified sources and steer clear of fake websites.
Hollywood star Keanu Reeves made his professional auto racing debut on Saturday in an event in which 'The Matrix' star spun out at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Legendary singer Paul Simon has said he is 'optimistic' about being able to return to performing live after losing most of his hearing in his left ear.
Dubai's Emirates airline has banned pagers and walkie-talkies from its planes, following last month's attacks on such devices carried by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
TikToks of customers stuffing their faces with a US$20 endless shrimp. More than 100 restaurant closures and thousands of layoffs. A revolving door of CEOs. Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Brazil's Supreme Court said on Friday that lawyers representing social media platform X did not pay pending fines to the right bank, postponing its decision on whether to allow the tech firm to resume services in Brazil.
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Vanderbilt takes down AP poll No. 1 Alabama 40-35 in historic college football victory.
Avry Wortman, 13, scored two touchdowns on Sunday during her team's win in the under 14 Greater Moncton Football Association.
Argentine star Lionel Messi was on the bench to start Inter Miami CF's game in Toronto on Saturday.
Tesla is recalling more than 27,000 Cybertrucks because the rearview camera image may not activate immediately after shifting into reverse, the fifth recall for the vehicle since it went on sale late last year.
A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
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A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
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The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.
One person is reportedly dead and two others are injured after a pickup truck hit a bench, striking people who were waiting for the bus in Surrey Saturday afternoon.
A massive fire broke out in downtown Langley Saturday morning, destroying a restaurant and forcing several other businesses to close.
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Leo Campana's stoppage-time goal gave Inter Miami a 1-0 win and left Toronto FC's playoff hopes hanging by a thread Saturday.
A Toronto police officer has been arrested after allegedly stealing three bottles of alcohol from a store.
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The first anniversary of the October Seventh Hamas attack on Israel is Monday and that prompted several hundred people to attend a pro-Palestinian rally Saturday afternoon at city hall.
An investigation is underway into a Friday night collision in southeast Calgary that left one person dead.
Demonstrators converged on downtown Ottawa Saturday afternoon as part of a global day of action to protest Israel's military actions in the Middle East.
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Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.
Highway 39 near Warburg was closed Saturday after a serious crash involving a motorcycle and a van.
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The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.
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The Huron Ontario Provincial Police said they responded to a 鈥渄owned airplane鈥 just after 11 a.m. Saturday.
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The Oktoberfest Parade is fast approaching and organizers are urgently seeking volunteers to fill the role of sign carriers.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.
The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.
A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.
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An organization who has assisted in locating 40 missing people since 2018, has its sights set on the Thames River near Cavendish Park in London, Ont.
Huron OPP say they were on the scene of a plane crash this morning, with a pilot finding themselves unable to halt before the end of a runway in Brussels.
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.
OPP are seeking assistance in their search for a 30-year-old man last seen in Orillia.
Provincial police are investigating a collision along Highway 400 in Tay Township Friday afternoon.
More than a thousand residents attended the Town of Innisfil's inaugural 'InnisFALL' festival on Saturday, which celebrated the spirit of fall with live music and entertainment at Innisfil Town Square.
The municipality issued a stern reminder for code violators, as both were fined following a warning issued by Leamington Fire Services.
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Police on Vancouver Island have made an arrest in the case of a 78-year-old woman found dead in her home almost two years ago.
NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.
Ever since Taylor Swift made thousands, if not millions, of loyal fans鈥 wildest dreams come true by announcing a three-show run in Vancouver this December, scammers have attempted, and sometimes succeeded, to take advantage of the scramble for tickets.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.
Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week 鈥 and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.
While the summer may be over, construction season in Lethbridge is not.
Lethbridge police executed dozens of warrants and laid numerous charges in another targeted enforcement project in the downtown area.
A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.
The Ontario College of Family Physicians has presented awards to 750 doctors based on comments from patients, including eight physicians who are part of the Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.
Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.
A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people鈥檚 basic human right to food.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
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