Twenty years ago today—at 12:04 AM on March 24th, 1989—the Exxon Valdez tanker struck Bligh reef in Prince William Sound causing 10.8 million gallons of crude oil to spill into the sea. The spill decimated the ecosystem and wildlife for 11,000 square miles and became one of the world’s most infamous oil spills. Twenty years later, researchers say that several bird species have yet to recover from the spill.

“Analysis of the oil spills’ impacts found that a significant portion of several species’ populations were killed, including 5-10 percent of the world’s Kittlitz’s Murrelet population and 6-12 percent of the area’s population of the Marbled Murrelet,” said Dr. Michael Fry, director of Conservation Advocacy at American Bird Conservancy (ABC). “We are concerned about a number of the bird species harmed in the catastrophe such as the Kittlitz’s Murrelet whose population has yet to rebound.”



A pigeon guillemot in Alaska. Photo by Rhett A. Butler.

According to ABC, Kittlitz’s Murrelet’s population plummeted 99 percent from 1972 to 2004. Since the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 the rate of decline went from 18 percent to 31 percent. Researchers also believe that climate change is negatively affecting the species.

Two other bird species, the Pigeon Guillemot and the Marbled Murrelet, have not seen significant recovery in the Prince William Sound. In fact, the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council has found that leaked oil can still be found in the Sound. Given its slow rate of dissolving, the oil may persist for decades, even centuries.

“Twenty years after the Exxon Valdez spill, oil still poses a grave threat to marine bird,”said Dr. Fry. “American Bird Conservancy would like to see an acceleration of the phase out of single hulled tankers in the U.S. which are allowed until 2015. A similar requirement for double-hulled tankers needs to be made globally to protect birds and other wildlife from future spills. Additional marine reserves and no-go zones for tankers during sensitive breeding and staging seasons should also be implemented to protect the most vulnerable species.”

Oil spills are not past occurences. On March 13th, 250 tons of oil spilled off Australia’s northeast coast, blanketing local beaches and killing wildlife. It has been called one of the worst environmental distasters in Queenland’s history.

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