Gulf Oil Spill Pictures: Birds, Fish, Crabs Coated

Shouldering the weight of heavy oil spewed from theGulf of Mexico'sDeepwater Horizonoil spill, abrown pelicanstruggles in sludgy surf on East Grand Terre Island,Louisiana, Friday.

Nearly 800 dead birds, sea turtles, dolphins, and other animals have been found in the Gulf and on its shores, according to federal authoritiescited by the Associated Press. But the real story may be the rate at which animals are being affected by oil, which appears to have accelerated drastically in recent days.

Since opening six weeks ago—around the time theDeepwater Horizonoil rig exploded, initiating the Gulf oil spill—the Fort Jackson Oiled Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Louisiana has treated 203 oiled birds, more than half of them in the last four days alone,USA Todayreported.

(See"Gulf Oil Spill Worst in U.S. History.")

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