NEW ORLEANS – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that eight months after the Deepwater Horizon oil well was capped, dolphins are washing ashore in Louisiana with some oil from that well on their bodies.
Spokeswoman Kim Amendola says the dolphins had spots of weathered oil. She says one was found in March, three in February, and one each in January and December.
Gulf Coast stranding coordinator Blair Mase emphasizes the causes are unknown, and oil may not be a factor.
Mase says 15 dolphins with confirmed or suspected oil on their bodies washed ashore since the spill began last April.
She said 13 were in Louisiana, and one each in Mississippi and Florida.
Amendola says nine found since Nov. 2 include one with oil from another source and two not tested.
