[Music] Cat Island it was actually one of the
Cat Island it was actually one of the
Cat Island it was actually one of the four largest rookeries in Louisiana for
four largest rookeries in Louisiana for
four largest rookeries in Louisiana for brown pelicans Snowy Egrets Roseate
brown pelicans Snowy Egrets Roseate
brown pelicans Snowy Egrets Roseate spoonbills least turns in a variety of
spoonbills least turns in a variety of
spoonbills least turns in a variety of other shorebirds and now it’s just a
other shorebirds and now it’s just a
other shorebirds and now it’s just a fragile remnant of what it once was
in 2010 prior to the oil spill this was
in 2010 prior to the oil spill this was a pristine island with about 8-foot
a pristine island with about 8-foot
a pristine island with about 8-foot mangroves it was roughly around five and
mangroves it was roughly around five and
mangroves it was roughly around five and a half almost six acres this was ideal
a half almost six acres this was ideal
a half almost six acres this was ideal nesting ground for migratory birds in
nesting ground for migratory birds in
nesting ground for migratory birds in the winter time looking for places to
the winter time looking for places to
the winter time looking for places to nest for the spring the oil spill hit
nest for the spring the oil spill hit
nest for the spring the oil spill hit and these little islands were here to
and these little islands were here to
and these little islands were here to greet the oil the oil comes down at
greet the oil the oil comes down at
greet the oil the oil comes down at kills mangroves which then kills the
kills mangroves which then kills the
kills mangroves which then kills the root system and the root is holding
root system and the root is holding
root system and the root is holding together this island and without that
together this island and without that
together this island and without that root system holding together the
root system holding together the
root system holding together the sediment it just rows away in just five
sediment it just rows away in just five
sediment it just rows away in just five years we’ve seen this island almost
years we’ve seen this island almost
years we’ve seen this island almost disappear and probably by the next
disappear and probably by the next
disappear and probably by the next anniversary this island
anniversary this island
anniversary this island the US wildlife and fishery studies show
the US wildlife and fishery studies show
the US wildlife and fishery studies show that chicks when they’re born will
that chicks when they’re born will
that chicks when they’re born will imprint to these islands so every year
imprint to these islands so every year
imprint to these islands so every year they return to the same place they were
they return to the same place they were
they return to the same place they were born to breed and nest again the study
born to breed and nest again the study
born to breed and nest again the study also shows that when the birds come back
also shows that when the birds come back
also shows that when the birds come back here if the island is gone they don’t go
here if the island is gone they don’t go
here if the island is gone they don’t go off and breed somewhere else they just
off and breed somewhere else they just
off and breed somewhere else they just don’t breed so we’re losing generation
don’t breed so we’re losing generation
don’t breed so we’re losing generation after generation of birds this is
after generation of birds this is
after generation of birds this is essentially one of the longest-running
essentially one of the longest-running
essentially one of the longest-running environmental disasters in the u.s. five
environmental disasters in the u.s. five
environmental disasters in the u.s. five years later
years later
years later oil still coming ashore here and will
oil still coming ashore here and will
oil still coming ashore here and will continue to come ashore here as
continue to come ashore here as
continue to come ashore here as scientists have found immense tar balls
scientists have found immense tar balls
scientists have found immense tar balls and oil still remaining at the bottom of
and oil still remaining at the bottom of
and oil still remaining at the bottom of the Gulf see really oily this is all oil
the Gulf see really oily this is all oil
the Gulf see really oily this is all oil up in here ultimately what this means
up in here ultimately what this means
up in here ultimately what this means down the road we don’t know we know when
down the road we don’t know we know when
down the road we don’t know we know when the oil spill hit in the first 95 days
the oil spill hit in the first 95 days
the oil spill hit in the first 95 days over 800,000 Birds perished what does
over 800,000 Birds perished what does
over 800,000 Birds perished what does that mean for the long-term stability of
that mean for the long-term stability of
that mean for the long-term stability of those populations we even had some rare
those populations we even had some rare
those populations we even had some rare and endangered birds that we’re actually
and endangered birds that we’re actually
and endangered birds that we’re actually nesting out here and today nothing
nesting out here and today nothing
nesting out here and today nothing they’re all gone there is an effort to
they’re all gone there is an effort to
they’re all gone there is an effort to restore this island and to bring in
restore this island and to bring in
restore this island and to bring in sediment back and the mangroves back so
sediment back and the mangroves back so
sediment back and the mangroves back so if we don’t start doing restoration now
if we don’t start doing restoration now
if we don’t start doing restoration now in environments that we royal the harder
in environments that we royal the harder
in environments that we royal the harder that’s going to be it’s going to take
that’s going to be it’s going to take
that’s going to be it’s going to take more resources more money to build back
more resources more money to build back
more resources more money to build back what was there before the oil spill
what was there before the oil spill
what was there before the oil spill having this loss from sea level rise
having this loss from sea level rise
having this loss from sea level rise from natural erosion and to be
from natural erosion and to be
from natural erosion and to be exacerbated by the BP oil spill to me it
exacerbated by the BP oil spill to me it
exacerbated by the BP oil spill to me it really is in a way the canary in the
really is in a way the canary in the
really is in a way the canary in the coal mine for the habitats that are
coal mine for the habitats that are
coal mine for the habitats that are going to be threatened in the next
going to be threatened in the next
going to be threatened in the next couple decades
couple decades
couple decades [Music]
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