Gulf wildlife 'dead zone' keeps growing

An over 7,000-square-mile wildlife "dead zone" located in the center of the Gulf of Mexico has grown from being a curiosity to a colossus over the past two decades, according to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), and scientists are now concerned the recent oil spill and other emerging chemical threats could widen the zone even further. The NWF describes the dead zone as being "the largest on record in the hemisphere in coastal waters and one of the biggest in the world." During the summer months, it is nearly devoid of wildlife, save for the dead bodies of crabs, shrimp and other marine species that succumb to oxygen depletion in the polluted water. Animal toxicology experts believe the Gulf dead zone is a man-made monstrosity.