Gulf Oil Disaster : Day 45 Thurday June3rd,2010 The Silent Victims, The Damage Done....

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"To stand at the edge of the sea, to sense the ebb and flow of the tides, to feel the breath of a mist moving over a great salt marsh, to watch the flight of shore birds that have swept up and down the surf lines of the continents for untold thousands of year, to see the running of the old eels and the young shad to the sea, is to have knowledge of things that are as nearly eternal as any earthly life can be.”~Rachel Carson
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Today the BIG PICTURE released their photo montage of the Oiled Birds from the Gulf Coast "Caught In the Oil". It must be seen and shared, it is horrendous, it is Documenting the Damage. And sadly tonight I am posting some photos, because it is time. Below I will have updates regarding actual Damage Numbers and also list of places to donate and help the Wildlife in the Gulf, and other Media that is covering this part of the Disaster.

Another post that must be seen, heartbreaking and graphic is is by Alheli Picazo on Rabble.ca with photographs AP photographer Charlie Reidel.
And this is her actual Blog post with smaller photos, "Wildlife – Brought To You By BP".
I do encourage that if you live in the Gulf to please do take photos and video, and if you want me to post any here on Twitter I will post. ( I will also protect your privacy if needed, and give credit as requested. I also am willing to post Interviews and On Scene Updates from the Gulf.)
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Has the Truth been Muzzled : Interfering with America and World Seeing the Damage?
Today is Day 45 It is striking that we have not seen more photos and videos on the Internet or in the Press until today. Today at 4:45 PM finally Video came forth on CNN from Anderson Cooper that actually showed Oil Drenched Birds gasping for air as they were rescued on Grand Isle. By the Time the Evening News Came on, NBC and CBS were both showing more horrifying footage of Oil Damaged birds struggling to move and breath. From another standpoint, do look at these photos from the NYT , especially the Massive FishKill photos and it is easy to also understand these birds if not oiled are in huge danger of eating Poisoned Fish.

The Bigger question is why have we not seen the Wildlife photos, both damaged and or dead up until now ? Because BP has been carefully controlling, strong arming the Visual Aspects of this disaster. But I also do not have an answer why Federal Dept of Fish and Wildlife or NOAA or even Coast Guard could not have been releasing Footage and photos of what is being seen in the Gulf. We as a Country need to see the Damage, the Reality of what has been wrought upon our precious fragile Gulf Ecosystem.The Damage is historic and must be documented by all involved. It is unfathomable why BP who is facing Criminal Investigation is being allowed to control what we see, The Evidence , from the Crime Scene.

On another level the Boston Globe, New York Times and Washington Post has been trying to post what photographs and images that they do have, but there is still very little that has been seen from Residents of the Gulf. As someone who lives currently in another part of the Country I am encouraging our Gulf Neighbors to please post photos and video on the Internet, via YouTube, and photo servers ( Flickr,photobucket etc) and Twitpic/Twitter/Skype.


BP to some degree appears to be very much controlling the Message by having Contracted employees and Gulf Helpers sign papers/ contracts to not speak of what they "see" and witness. In other ways BP is quartering off Beaches have citizens and reporters threatened with arrest, but also preventing them from documenting damage to their own beaches. The Fishermen and Shrimpers that have volunteered to help with Clean Up or in a very sensitive position as they can not risk losing this short term source of work and payment by speaking to press, regarding what they see ( or of physical complaints or concerns as well). It is concerning that BP is attempting to control the Truth and also perhaps is now intimidating the Residents and workers in the Gulf. BP has also been quartering off Beaches, and making access unavailable for people to check on the Water and the creatures, they know if they see Netting and Barriers there is Damage.


Other Media Sources are raising Concern regarding BP's Muzzling of Press in this Crisis:
(1) From Sfgate.com "Media reports BP allegedly suppressing pictures of dead dolphins & turtles ).

(2) Think Progress has more about the questionable issues that are arising as all of us ask WHERE are the Photos ?

(3) This was brought forth by Jay Rosen, Did BP make fishermen sign a contract banning them from speaking to media about what they "saw" on the job ?

(4) The real question is WHO is responsible for showing us the truth, the reality, the depth of this tragedy, the Media ? the Government ? BP ? WHO ? Maybe all of the Above. Brian Ross's story on ABC asks did BP and the Federal Government withhold Video that would have showed the true mammoth dimensions of this Man Made Disaster? But if BP and NOAA lied about the Gusher Flow and Volume, then of course we need to ask questions even about the smallest victims.
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What are the Actual Statistics at this time regarding the Wildlife and the Birds. The IBRRC has been an amazing resource as they continue to work saving Birds daily. Meanwhile if you want to learn more about other effected creatures there is more here from NWF regarding growing Evidence of OilSpill's Impacts on Dolphins, Sea Turtles, especially the death of a variety of Turtles is over 225, which is not the norm, and not all were oiled. Dead Dolphin numbers are up as well.

(1) The IBRRC Bird numbers are higher on Friday: As Noon June 3: 85 oiled live; 527 collected dead; 25 released.

(2) From IBRRC Day45 Gulf AnimalReport:Total 604 documented birds affected in OilSpill :PDF download breaks down the chart of which animals were found dead, dead and oiled. Concerning about this report is the number of animals that are being found dead and not oiled. Including the Turtle number which is over 200 and the Dolphin number which is also rising. I did write to IBRRC today and ask if the Necropsies are assessing exposure or toxic burden of Dispersants ? I asked if they had been tested. I will post results when I know more. On another level are animals and birds dying from eating contaminated "food" ( fish etc), that has been contaminated with Oil and or Dispersant.

**** Do go to the IBRRC and learn more about their work, and their research, and you can even support their work, and "adopt" a bird in the Gulf.
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More Information about the Damaged Wounded Wildlife and Learning How to Help
(1) On the Internet and on Twitter, I encourage you to follow @IBRRC and @DawnDishSoap they are both doing admirable work rescuing and caring for the Oil Damaged Birds and wildlife. @IBRRC has been caring for the Birds and also their website and twitter page has updates of rescues, care and also of Releases. (IBRRC is an International Bird Rescue organization that was contracted early on to work on this ecological disaster.) Dawn Dish Soap posted this link to the that is information from the Audobon Action Center of how people can help.

(2) This is the Latest Gulf Wildlife report:Total 604 documented birds affected in OilSpill : See PDF download here and more Updates coming soon. This was posted by IBRRC. It is true that if you look at the report carefully there are still a significant number of Un-Oiled Animals dying, this raises questions about the Dispersant. I have written to IBRRC and asked to please inquire as to whether the Dispersant is being tested in the necropsied animals. It is alos relevant at this point to ask if we are now starting to see the Oil and Dispersant have entered the Water Column and the Food Chain. Marine Experts will have to document and determine the damage of this Disaster. Please do Follow @IBRRC and @DawnDishSoap on Twitter and support their brave work caring for the fragile Oiled Creatures.

(3) If you do want to help, donate or contribute here is the earlier post that links Volunteer organizations that are working in the Gulf. This post will be updated tonight with more information of where to help and assist.

(4) As of yesterday the Fishing Zone by NOAA was declared, expanding the No Fishing Zones to 37% of the Gulf, >88,000 SqMiles,which no one has mentioned in relation to the Wildlife feeding zones. (Here is the NOAA MAP showing the massive area where Fishing is not allowed). Many of the Wildlife , Birds (ie.pelicans and egrets,gannets) are fishing in those zones for food, they may not be Oiled yet, but they may also be eating contaminated Fish. They therefore face added Risks and Death just trying to feed themselves. The Turtles who swim deep for their food also face the same Dangers. The examples of this devastating chain of damage can be followed closer by following the work on Twitter of the Audobon Society,Defense of Wildlife, NRDC and the Costeau Family and Sierra Club.
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{Enlarged NOAA No Fishing Map LINK here.}
June 2nd NOAA Map shows NO FISHING AREAS ( please do note the Waveland Dead Fish shown above in NYT link-raises questions as to whether the NO FISHING ZONE should include Waveland,Miss). Concern is that People are not Fishing in the Zones on this Map. But Animals are and may suffer damage or death from the Oil and the dispersants, even by eating fish from this NO FISH ZONED area (which spans >88,000 Sq.Miles) ?

{{ NOAA PDF with more information re; NO FISH Zone.}}
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The Gulf needs our Support and creative compassionate skills to help with this Disaster, please do think of ways you can help our Neighbors in the Gulf.