By Sara Novak / Source: Ecosalon

The BP oil spill dumped a reported 210 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. In all, 16,000 miles of coastline across Louisiana, Texas, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi were impacted. Not surprisingly, five years later the Gulf has yet to recover and a new report from the National Wildlife Federation found that 20 species of animals are still suffering in the aftermath.

While the oil giant claims that the Gulf has returned to normal after the BP oil spill, a new report disputes their claims. In fact, a range of animal species including dolphins, sea turtles, brown pelicans, white pelicans, mahi mahi, Gulf killifish, bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, spotted sea trout, and sperm whales are still feeling the repercussions.

“Given the significant quantity of oil remaining on the floor of the Gulf and the unprecedented large-scale use of dispersal during the spill, it will be years or even decades before the full impact of the Deepwater Horizon disaster is known,” the report said. “It is clear that robust scientific monitoring of the Gulf ecosystem and its wildlife populations must continue — and that restoration of degraded ecosystems should begin as soon as possible.”

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