Now comes the hard part.

Ever hear the old saying "the waiting is the hardest part?" Well, I can certainly agree. Training is now complete and I'm ready for "the call." I have no idea where I will go, when I will go, or even if I will go to be a part of the effort to save the gulf some of the most helpless victims of the BP oilcano. Watching this catastrophe unfold in the news is beyond heartbreaking, it is infuriating. I want someone to go to prison for this. Not just country club prison, but real, honest to goodness prison.

Because I can only speak on the wildlife aspect of this oiltastrophe with anything even approaching knowledge, I will continue to stick with what I know. 

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 was created with the purpose of protecting migratory birds from capture, kill, transport or any other removal from their native habitat for any purpose. It created federal prohibition (unless given specific permits) to "pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, attempt to take, capture or kill, possess, offer for sale, sell, offer to purchase, purchase, deliver for shipment, ship, cause to be shipped, deliver for transportation, transport, cause to be transported, carry, or cause to be carried by any means whatever, receive for shipment, transportation or carriage, or export, at any time, or in any manner, any migratory bird..." It was amended in 1960 to include criminal and punitive measures for violations. Each violation would result in a fine not to exceed $2000 (later amended again to total $15,000) and possible jail time of not more than six months. On the surface this might not seem like a big deal. Wow, fifteen thousand bucks and six months of jail for such a huge catastrophe? Well, that's until you really understand the law. By "each violation" they are not talking about each incident in terms of the entire event. They are talking about each individual animal affected by the event.

Mind you, that's not even talking about Endangered Species. Specifically concerning corporations the fines for the kill or harm of an endangered species from $200,000 to $500,000. Again, that's for each individual animal.

I can only hope that there will be criminal charges brought against those responsible if/when they are ever brought to light. I remain cynical, however.  In the meantime, I sit and wait for the phone call that may or may not come.

For the oiled marshes of Southern Louisiana, it is most likely already too late. We can hope to rescue a few animals here and there and move them to a new habitat should they survive their ordeal, but this is only if there should be any habitat left and there are no guarantees of even that small miracle. We are in a race against time, and BP has deliberately slowed the effort down in the failed attempt to save face/money/their collective asses. Sadly, our federal government has allowed them to do so. I've heard people say that this is Obama's Katrina, or his 9/11. I disagree. This is something far worse. Katrina and 9/11 will pale in comparison to the destruction we are most likely to experience here, and we have brought it all upon ourselves.