Science Common Sense
612 - How do oil spills impact the ecosystem?
When there's an oil spill, it can harm the ecosystem in several ways:
- Kills animals: Oil sticks to their fur and feathers, making it hard for them to swim or fly. It also poisons them if they eat it or breathe it in.
- Destroys homes: Oil spills can cover plants, coral, and other habitats, making it hard for animals to live and find food.
- Ruins water quality: Oil spills can pollute the water, making it hard for animals to drink and for plants to grow.
- Affects food chain: When animals die or get sick from oil, it affects the whole food chain. This means that other animals that rely on them for food will also be affected.
- Long-term damage: Oil spills can damage the ecosystem for years, even decades, after the spill happened.
Oil spills are bad news for the environment and for the animals that live there. We need to be careful and do our best to prevent them from happening.