As of this writing, at least 22 million gallons of oil have spilled into the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. In the few minutes it takes you to read this blog post, more than 1,000 gallons more will have gushed into the ocean.

There have been many reports of oiled marine life in the more than 40 days since the spill began, but there are countless creatures affected by the spill that may never be seen. Oil is extremely toxic to all wildlife, and the toxic effects began as soon as the oil hit the water.

Here are just a few examples of marine creatures affected by the oil spill in the Gulf:

1. Several species of endangered sea turtles (Kemp's ridley, hawksbill, green and leatherback) are found in the Gulf waters and nest on its beaches. As air breathers, sea turtles can ingest oil, which can block their airways, fill their stomachs, and damage their tissues and organs. Some turtles in the Gulf are about to start their nesting season, whiles others nest all year round.
2. Atlantic bluefin tuna: The Gulf is one of only two nurseries worldwide for the severely overfished Atlantic bluefin tuna. Each spring (April – June), bluefin gather in the Gulf to spawn, and more than 90 percent of the bluefin tuna spawning here are returning to the place they were born.
3. Twenty-eight species of whales and dolphins are known to inhabit the Gulf, and 20 live there year-round, including bottlenose dolphins and endangered North Atlantic right whales and sperm whales. Bottlenose dolphins are the most common species of cetacean in the Gulf, and they breed in the summer and give birth from March to May. Like sea turtles, they are vulnerable to oil as air breathers who spend a lot of time on the surface.
4. Seabirds are also found in the Gulf, especially in the mangroves and wetlands – areas that are extremely difficult to clean up when contaminated by oil. Coastal birds such as brown and white pelicans, terns, gulls, shorebirds, skimmers and herons are highly at risk if the oil comes ashore.
5. Snapper and grouper support fishing communities all along the Gulf coast. Gag grouper spawning peaks in early April and red snapper spawning starts in late May, peaking from June-August. If the spill continues through the summer, this year's generation of fish could be severely impacted. In addition, fish larvae are particularly sensitive to oil; even at very low levels, oil can cause growth deformities and death.

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