Arkansas Oil Spill Leads to Death of Oil-Covered Ducks

The environmental consequences caused by a recent oil spill in central Arkansas last Friday has gained a lot of focus, after officials discovered dead ducks and some live birds dipped in oil after the ExxonMobil pipeline ruptured, reports The Associated Press.

This mishap led to more than 12,000 gallons of oil being spilled in to neighboring areas and lakes in the Mayflower region, which is 20 miles northwest of Little Rock.

The officials in Mayflower spotted two dead ducks and several birds soaked in oil. Officials also hope that they spot more dead animals, as the efforts to clean the oil are in full progress.

The investigation continues to uncover the reason behind what caused the spill, due to which several homes had to be evacuated.

Exxon's Pegasus pipeline carries more than 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil from Patoka, Illinois to Nederland, Texas. It was shut Friday after they noticed a leak.

"We regret that this incident has occurred and apologize for any disruption and inconvenience that it has caused," Karen Tyrone, southern operations manager of ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, said in a statement. "Our focus is on protecting health, safety and the environment. We will be here until the cleanup is complete."

The HAWK center, which is a wildlife rehabilitation organization, is taking the responsibility of shifting the oil-covered ducks from the oil spill area. Apart from HAWK, another crew that will help the oil-soaked ducks is from Arkansas, Game and Fish.

According to Lynne Slater, executive director at HAWK Center, the oil is extremely thick. It is similar to removing gum from someone's hair. And it is going to be difficult to get that oil out of the bird's feathers. Reports claim that the oil-soaked ducks have been given appropriate treatment, and most of them are showing good signs of recovery.

This incident was categorized as a major spill by EPA.