Penguins being cared for on Tristan de Cuna Photos: Katrine Herrion
One lesson in all of this, Guggenheim says, is that a little bit of petroleum can cause a lot of damage in a marine environment. It's all about location, location, location.
"It doesn't take a Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf or a supertanker to cause an environmental catastrophe. It's all about where and when the oil hits. And they couldn't have picked a worse time or place than Nightingale Island right now."
That's exactly what shimpers say about the BP oil disaster. The well blew up just before the shrimp season started last year, gushing Louisiana crude straight into the heart of one of the world's richest fishing grounds. It's way too early to know what the impact will be.
Meanwhile, in the cold gale-force winds of the South Atlantic, a desperate rescue is underway by a small group of determined islanders. With some help and some luck, the colony of Rockhopper Penguins can be saved and moved to a safer location.
But down in the bayou, the shrimp, dolphins, sea turtles and all the rest of the marine life can't be moved. They will have to survive the BP oil disaster on their own.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
