August 31, 2010
The April 20, 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill will have a lasting impact on Louisiana's fragile wetlands and its residents. Audubon Nature Institute's experts are working diligently to provide assistance with wildlife rehabilitation efforts.
Coordinated by Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, the Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program (LMMSTRP) is the primary responder for the state of Louisiana for rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing marine mammals (dolphins, whales, and manatee) and sea turtles. When a call comes in for a distressed sea turtle or marine mammal, the Audubon team retrieves the animal and brings it back to the Audubon Aquatic Center for assesment and treatment. It is anticipated that the greatest number of animals affected will be sea turtles, as the Kemps Ridley species is currently migrating to the beaches to nest.