Animal Deaths in Gulf a Mystery

There are many losers in the Gulf oil spill -- fisherman, beachgoers, tourists, homeowners, the environment -- even the oil companies are taking a hit from this disaster. The most powerless of them all may be the wildlife. Apparently, as this recent article notes, oil is not the only factor contributing to their deaths right now in the Gulf.

Despite an obvious suspect, oil, the answer is far from clear. The vast majority of the dead animals that have been found — 1,866 birds, 463 turtles, 59 dolphins and one sperm whale — show no visible signs of oil contamination. Much of the evidence in the turtle cases points, in fact, to shrimping or other commercial fishing, but other suspects include oil fumes, oiled food, the dispersants used to break up the oil or even disease.

-Connie