Robot submarines were successful in securing Top Hat Number 10—a newer, tighter fitting cap on top of the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Now the 150,000 pound cap will be put to the test, as pressure inside the well is measured to determine whether the cap can remain in place without causing the pipe to burst elsewhere. Don Van Nieuwenhuise, director of Professional Geosciences Programs at the University of Houston, told AP, "Rather than like a train running into a brick wall, it'll be more like putting the brakes on slowly. That's what they're aiming for. You can keep the brakes on and everyone arrives alive, or you hit the wall and have big problems." Especially all of these newly orphaned baby animals.
Animal rescue volunteers have cleaned over 1,000 oiled birds and 100 sea turtles since the April 20th explosion, and, not surprisingly, they say the baby animals are the most vulnerable. Jay Holcomb, director of the Rescue Research Center said, "These little guys, they go and play in the puddles just like little kids. So think of your children going in there and getting oil on them—it's the same thing." And we thought our hearts were broken after watching these fish struggling in the water! Officials also worked to relocate over 50,000 sea turtle eggs last week, so they could hatch into safer waters. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Chuck Underwood told USA Today that if they hatched into oily water, the generation's chances of survival were "highly unlikely."
Those oily habitats are expanding too, as tar balls began to hit Texas shores. Officials have confirmed that oil found on Galveston beach and near Bolivar Peninsula was from the Deepwater rig explosion. But don't worry, the government has already collected $122.3 million from BP and other parties, and just sent out another bill for $99.7 million, so this should all be cleaned up any day now.
