Yesterday is a day I will not forget anytime soon. I took a boat trip to Raccoon Island, which is about 20 miles south of Cocodrie, with a photog friend of mine Andy Levin. While covering the BP Oil Spill, Disaster, whatever they want to call it, from Venice to Fouchon over the past two months I have seen a lot of s…tuff, but nothing really prepared me for what I saw yesterday……..It is my impression that the farther away the oil has hit, the less attention it gets from BP. Raccoon Island is the largest Pelican Rookery in Louisiana, much larger that Queen Bess in Grand Isle or Cat Island. I have never been on the 2 islands in Grand Isle, but have wondered many times what was on them, besides the dead animals you could see from the boom, or the oiled garbage left on the shores by BP. Something else I have noticed at the Grand Isle rookeries on three visits over a 6 week period is that the population of the birds is declining steadily, specifically on my trip last week when a guesstimate would be a 60 to 70 % decline in mostly adults, leaving the young to fend for themselves in the oil and corexit infested waters. Some of my questions were answered yesterday on Racoon island, where death is everywhere and I mean everywhere, even though visible oil is much less an issue, which concerns me greatly. A lot of the birds that weren’t dead, were obviously poisoned, almost acting drunk and dazed. Some were hardly walking, and some were alive, but lying where they will surely expire, some were actually fighting each other for food(surely contaminated)…….It is really hard for me to believe that nothing can be done to curb what is no less than the extermination of our beloved state bird, along with thousands of other birds and animals. There are not many times where I have just stopped shooting and left….yesterday was one of those day’s.
Additionally today 7-21-10 oday I went down to Cocodrie again, this time with Nancy Parker, who by the way is one of the nicest and real down to earth people I have ever met, and Photojournalist Paul Rogers…….our intentions were to go back to Raccoon Island. Unfortunately we experienced some boat engine issues and did not make it. t some extraordinarily nice guys on this boat and spent some quality time talking with them…..very good people put in an awkward and unfortunate position….They said today was the best day they have had, picking us up, since they started working……They were from everywhere, Grand Isle, New Orleans, Houma…..it was nice to put a face on the workers who I am sure are trying their best, with “hands tied”….The story should run tomorrow night….and we will return…….
See the rest of my coverage from mid may up to date at http://nativeorleanian.com/category/bp-oil-spill/
Diane Symons
As long as there are people who care for animals no matter what they do to try to get rid of them we will help save them. We will work for them they would do it for us. This is an important message to get out. Thank you
Jul 21, 2010 @ 5:45 pm
VELLA
I LOOKIN ALL ANIMALS BIRD DIED……..OH NO!!!!!!!! VERY SAD:( PLS TELL ALL TEENAGE ( NEED HELP LOOK AROUND SOMEWHERE PLACE PARK OR LAKE RIVER ) PLSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS HELP!!!!!!! SOS HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HATE LOOK ALL DIED BIRDS AND BABIE BIRD…DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!IF TEENAGE WON’T HELP BIRDS OR BABIE BIRD AND PLS GIVE TEENAGE MONEY FIRST THEN GO HELP FEED BIRDS & TAKE ALL BIRD GO BATHTUB…. GOD BLESS ALL BIRDS!!!!!!! I LOVE BIRDS
ALOHA!!!!!
Jul 21, 2010 @ 6:20 pm
kathy
I tried to volunteer to wash birds and animals and was willing to give as many hours as I could physically handle and was told it would take me 6 years to get certified and I would have to pay for classes and even after I took all availiable classes I still would be 5 years before I would be allowed to help ANY ANIMALS i UNDERSTAND THAT pEOPLE NEED TRAINING ON HOLDING AND NOT FURTHER HARMING THE BIRDS BUT DONT YOU NEED HANDS CANT A FEW KNOWLEDGABLE PEOPLE SUPERVISE THE UNSKILLED i HAVE DONE CAT RESCUE FOR TEN YEARS PLUS i I CAN HANDEL A FERAL CAT AND KITTENS i CAN HANDLE A BIRD SHAME TO BE TURNED AWAY WHEN ANIMALS ARE DYING
Jul 21, 2010 @ 6:49 pm
Deborah Sytnik
The world need’s to see this, and know what happened, don’t hide the truth, we know BP wishes we did not know what
they are responsible for, This is sad, yes, but we need to know!
Deborah Sytnik
Jul 21, 2010 @ 6:50 pm
k-town reader
@Kathy: that is so sad to hear people being turned away who want to help. I can’t believe that BP used this corexit stuff, it sounds horrific.
Native Orleanian, thank you for sharing your experience with us. I will share it with more.
Jul 22, 2010 @ 5:35 pm
Mitchell Pruitt
This is so well captured yet so sad. This is just such a depressing situation. I went to Pensacola in June and I thought their situation was bad then.
~Mitchell
Jul 24, 2010 @ 3:58 am
deb
Kathy, regarding getting certified to help the birds…
please see what Dean A. Wilson has to say on the subject, and note also “he was told that being certified didn’t mean that he would be allowed to rescue birds”
http://bpoilslick.blogspot.com/2010/07/dean-wilson-atchafalaya-basinkeeper.html#links
The birds deserve our help, in spite of unjust laws
Jul 27, 2010 @ 6:08 pm
Susan
Powerful painful photographs. Just when I have mustered up the strength to try and bear all of the trauma taking place, I go to your site (thanks to link from Drew Wheelan and ABA) and am stabbed once again in the heart.
Thank-you
Jul 29, 2010 @ 4:46 am
Carol
A very deep felt THANK YOU for your courage to photographically document the oil’s devastation to mother nature, her beautiful land and amazing animal in the Gulf of Mexico. By looking at your images, the tears are finally flowing a little more freely, as I am able to get in touch and release some of the very deep pain I have been feeling from this massacre/extermination/poisoning. It’s part of the healing process for us individually and collectively. With gratitude, appreciation and love, Carol
Jul 30, 2010 @ 10:30 am
Karen
I am so tired of hearing you must be certified to help these animals. Bull.. love and caring must not be overlooked..One could help with a person showing or telling them what to do..People can not clean beaches or help put on boats or whatever…Animals are dying so BP just step down and animals rights groups need to open their eyes and see those ready to help…It shames me to belong to so many groups I have supported for years and the baloney they are passing aound. It does not take a special skill for someone to be taught how to handle or clean the animals if someone is telling and showing what to do..
Aug 04, 2010 @ 5:51 pm
Had Walmer
The USA slowly lost its mandate
in the middle and later twentieth century
it never gave the mountains and rivers,
trees and animals,
a vote.
all the people turned away from it
myths die; even continents are impermanent
Turtle Island returned.. .
(From Turtle Island, by Gary Snyder)
Aug 06, 2010 @ 9:18 pm
Macondo Wellhead Flyover: Damage Control at The Source | LA Progressive
[...] Beleaguered Raccoon Island remains in peril, confirming reports of biologist Drew Wheelan and photographer Jerry Moran. [...]
Sep 03, 2011 @ 9:28 pm