Published By US Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
Issued almost 10 years ago
US
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Summary
Description
The disastrous effect of petroleum products on marine birds is well known. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, have perished because of manmade oil spills in the last 30 years. Little is known, however, of the longterm effect of the increasing petroleum pollution of the marine environment on marine mammals. To my knowledge, no extensive experimental studies of the effect of various petroleum products on different marine mammals have been conducted. The following observational information, however, is available of marine mammals that have accidentally come in contact with petroleum.