 Pete Morris/Birdquest
One-tenth of the world's remaining Polar Bears occur in the Chukchi Sea
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Alaska oil drilling threatens Critical biodiversity
21-02-2008
The US Government has auctioned leases to drill for oil and gas in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska, putting at risk internationally important concentrations of seabirds, and a number of threatened bird species, including the Critically Endangered Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostri.
Audubon (BirdLife in the USA) says the Chukchi Sea is also home to one-tenth of the world's remaining Polar Bears Ursus maritimus, and the only population of Bowhead Whales Balaena mysticetus not yet considered by the IUCN to be threatened.
At least 15 species of birds on Audubon Alaska's WatchList use marine and coastal habitats in the Chukchi Sea. The WatchList identifies declining and vulnerable species and populations of birds.
Bird species at risk include the Vulnerable Steller's Eider Polysticta stelleri and Near Threatened Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea. There are two major seabird colonies on the East (Alaskan) coast of the Chukchi Sea, supporting an estimated 850,000 breeding birds between them, mostly Thick-billed Uria lomvia and Common Guillemot (or Murre) U. aalge, and Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla. Kittlitz's Murrelet breeds at both sites.
"spills in those icy rough waters are nearly impossible to clean up before doing damage to wildlife" —Betsy Loyless, Audubon Senior Vice President
BirdLife International considers mortality from petroleum contamination to be a major threat to Kittlitz's Murrelet. Up to 15% of the population in Prince William Sound on the southern coast of Alaska died as result of the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
In a 2006 report on seabirds in Alaska, the US Fish and Wildlife Service commented: "no North American coast where murres occur has been exempt from major kills due to oil spills during the past 50 years."
Audubon Senior Vice President Betsy Loyless, said: "spills in those icy rough waters are nearly impossible to clean up before doing damage to wildlife."
Aububon has joined a coalition of conservation organisations, including the Sierra Club and WWF, and community-based organisations who have filed a suit arguing that in selling the oil leases, the US government's Minerals Management Service failed to take account of the impact oil exploitation would have on wildlife, and on the livelihoods of the people of Alaska's North Slope.
This news is brought to you by the BirdLife Species Champions and the British Birdwatching Fair - official sponsor of the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme
Credits: Audubon