Effects of Oil on Whales and Dolphins
Whales and Dolphins, called Cetaceans, live in the water, but are actually mammals. This means that they need to come to the surface to breath air. When they surface, they can become exposed to oil on the surface of the water.
If they swim through oil-contaminated water, they can become contaminated on their skin and receive irritation or burns to the skin.
They may be exposed to oil when eating prey that has oil on it. Once inside, oil can damage their organs.
To learn more about whales and dolphins, please visit The Marine Mammal Center’s web page on cetaceans.
