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<\/a> <\/b><\/font><\/div>\nOil spills are probably the biggest problems for penguins. The oil gets on their feathers and they get it in their beaks when they preen. Since they don’t fly and must surface often to breathe, penguins are unable to avoid being coated if oil is on the surface of the water. Also their eggs will contain traces of oil in them too. This is a problem because it either kills the embryo inside or the oil deforms the developing chick. Penguins cannot see the oil coming and neither can most humans..<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n![\"Photobucket\"](\"http:\/\/i235.photobucket.com\/albums\/ee286\/RequiemV\/Oil%20spills\/Fr719-200.jpg\")
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<\/a><\/b><\/font><\/div>\nAlong the coast of Argentina, Magellanic penguins are killed, not by oil accidents, but by the routine operations of large oil tankers. Empty tankers must fill their tanks with water for (to act as weight) purposes. Then, within about two miles before filling with oil, the oily water must be discharged — directly into the ocean..<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n![\"Photobucket\"](\"http:\/\/i160.photobucket.com\/albums\/t167\/Wings7734\/Oil%20Spills\/oil_spill_on_fire.jpg\")
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<\/b>Dangerous Boats<\/b><\/font><\/b><\/font><\/div>\n
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<\/a><\/b><\/font><\/div>\nDifferent kinds of boats also endanger the penguins. A few commercial boats, such as oil tankers, do great damage to penguins. Oil tankers spill oil (as you probably already knew) and they’re so big they may hit some penguins. Another kind of boat that hits penguins is the speedboat. Speedboats go so fast and their occupants are certainly not looking out for penguins. Fishing boats pose a different kind of problem. When fishermen take fish away from the penguins’ environment, they are left with less food. Fishing nets can trap penguins. Fishing boats also can run into penguins too.. <\/b><\/font><\/div>\n![\"Photobucket\"](\"http:\/\/i235.photobucket.com\/albums\/ee286\/RequiemV\/Oil%20spills\/oilspills.jpg\")
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<\/a><\/b><\/font><\/div>\nLuckily for the Antarctic penguins, they only have to deal with oil tankers since the cold weather keeps other boats from the area. Other penguins, however, have to live with these dangers. If people would think about the wildlife in the area before going out for a joy ride, penguins might not be on the endangered list..<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n![\"Photobucket\"](\"http:\/\/i160.photobucket.com\/albums\/t167\/Wings7734\/Oil%20Spills\/oiled_bird.jpg\")
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<\/b>What you can do<\/b><\/font><\/b><\/font><\/div>\n
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<\/a><\/b><\/font><\/div>\n\u2022 Urge government forms organizations like the United States Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Minerals Management Service to help prevent and cleanup oil spills to pass laws to prevent contamination and dumping<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n
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\u2022 Urge them to make companies fix old equipment (like patching holes in a boat that carries oil)<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n
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\u2022 Demand that these organizations set aside money to train people on how to clean up an oil spill and to develop new equipment<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n
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\u2022 Demand that these organizations make the companies responsible for spilling the oil pay for cleaning it up<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n![\"Photobucket\"](\"http:\/\/i235.photobucket.com\/albums\/ee286\/RequiemV\/Oil%20spills\/PWS_tanker_oil_spill.jpg\")
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<\/a><\/b><\/font><\/div>\nWhat can you do to make a difference? As a consumer, you can make a difference by supporting companies that are ecologically responsible. You can also send a message to irresponsible companies by not purchasing their products. When you buy gasoline for your cars, it would be worth your time to drive an extra block or two to support an oil company that has not been involved in any major oil spills. Parents should help have bills passed into law that will give penguins a safer world to live in..<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n![\"Photobucket\"](\"http:\/\/i235.photobucket.com\/albums\/ee286\/RequiemV\/Oil%20spills\/penguins-oil-1_170.jpg\")
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<\/a><\/b><\/font><\/div>\nWhat will happen to penguins in the future? That is a mystery. Yet it is clear that we need to help them before it is too late to save them and they disappear from our world forever..<\/b><\/font><\/div>\n
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