The Gulf of Mexico's most vulnerable wildlife is at the center of a growing fight, and Galveston is becoming one of its battlegrounds.
Coastal communities gathered in Galveston for a rally calling on Congress to restore protections for more than 20 endangered and threatened Gulf species following a federal decision that allowed offshore oil and gas activities to move forward without the same Endangered Species Act protections.
Led locally by Turtle Island Restoration Network, the rally is part of a Gulf-wide effort spanning all five Gulf states. Organizers want to send a message that protecting the Gulf's wildlife and ecosystems remains a priority for the communities that depend on them.
Among the species at stake are the critically endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle and Rice's whale, of which only about 51 individuals are estimated to remain. Manatees, queen conchs, smalltooth sawfish, and vulnerable coral species are also affected.
For Kemp's ridleys, the timing is especially significant. Each summer, thousands of hatchlings emerge from nests along Gulf beaches and begin a dangerous journey into waters already filled with natural and human-caused threats.
"Endangered species protection has been in place since 1973, and it has worked to bring several species, including the Texas state sea turtle – the Kemp's ridley – back from the brink of extinction," said Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director. "The decision to eliminate this protection must be reversed."
Organizers are urging Congress to pass the Protect the Gulf Life Act and use its oversight authority to restore federal protections for wildlife threatened by offshore drilling.
The community is also being encouraged to make signs supporting sea turtles and Rice's whales ahead of the rally, with a sign-making workshop held Aug 13 at Naked Iguana Brewery.
