Species at Risk: Sea Turtles The Gulf of Mexico is home to tens of thousands of sea turtles: Kemp’s ridleys, loggerheads, hawksbills, leatherbacks and other species, all of them endangered. The Deepwater Horizon spill is expected to affect sea turtles more than any other form of Gulf wildlife, because of the devastating effect the oil will have on their feeding and nesting areas. The clock is ticking: females are nesting now to lay the eggs of the next generation, which will be vital to the recovery of sea turtles throughout the Gulf. Learn more about Species at Risk: Sea Turtles.

Species at Risk: Shorebirds, Waterfowl and Other Migratory Birds The Gulf Coast supports more overwintering waterfowl and marsh birds than any other place in the United States; four to five million waterfowl spend the winter in coastal Louisiana wetlands alone. The Deepwater Horizon spill, which occurred during the height of the breeding season, is a serious threat to several high-priority species currently nesting and raising chicks along the Gulf Coast. Learn more about Species at Risk: Shorebirds, Waterfowl and Other Migratory Birds.