Based on the same research sources the Center concludes that ongoing effects of previous oil spills and pollution from the 2010 BP spill will continue to affect Gulf wildlife for decades. The report also shows that US government counts underestimate the toll on biodiversity, especially birds, turtles and sea mammals.

Also none of the animals washing ashore spring 2011 are included in government counts. Scientists estimate that at least five times as many turtles die as wash up on shore, indicating that between 5,730 and 6,165 sea turtles have likely been harmed by the spill to date. For marine mammals, scientists estimate that up to 50 times as many are killed as wash ashore.

"The BP Deepwater Horizon disaster is a tragic lesson that politicians are refusing to learn. Catastrophic oil spills will continue to threaten our nation's wildlife as long as our country continues to push for more and more offshore drilling," said Tierra Curry, a biologist at the Centre.

London based BP ( for British Petroleum) held its annual shareholder's meeting in England April 12, 2011. Protestors both inside and outside the meeting received international media attention regarding: BP's role in Canada's oil sands, Gulf of Mexico economic and community impacts, compensation payments a fraction of submissions, and executive pay awards, among other issues.