In 1989, a tanker carrying oil struck a reef and spilled 11 million gallons of oil in an
Alaskan bay. The oil not only spilled into the harbor, but also washed up on the
shoreline. The spill killed millions of fish, birds that lived on the shore, sea otters,
porpoises, seal lions and many whales. Every form of life in the area was affected.
Scientists have carefully studied the area and its species since the initial spill to
determine both short-term and long-term effects.
Which of the following was affected the least by this catastrophic event? A: Plants along the shoreline B: Fishermen in the area C: Migratory sea birds D: Crustaceans that lived on the bottom of the bay
Sea birds that are migrating would not only just fly above the spill and nestle on the trees, but they could eat crabs and other animals that scurry around on the shore as a food source due to the death of their primary source of food, fish.
