Wildlife Conservationists Rejoice Over New BP Oil Spill Ruling

Wildlife conservationists are rejoicing over the new BP oil spill ruling announced Thursday, a disaster that impacted thousands of species in the area.

The oil and gas company BP was found guilty of gross negligence and ordered to pay billions of dollars more in penalties.

"BP's conduct was reckless. Transocean's conduct was negligent. Halliburton's conduct was negligent," US District Judge Carl Barbier wrote, according to Bloomberg News.

Barbier determined that BP was 67 percent responsible for the disaster, while Transocean and Halliburton were responsible for 30 percent and three percent, respectively.

The ruling could quadruple the amount that BP was ordered to pay previously in fines for polluting the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 with an estimated 4.2 million barrels of oil over 87 days. It could also face up to $17.6 billion in civil fines under the Clean Water Act.

While BP plans to appeal the decision, wildlife advocates and environmentalists could not be happier.

"It affects wildlife tremendously," Brian Moore, a spokesperson for the Audubon Society, told The Dodo. "It's a disaster we haven't seen in the states on this level - ever. It deserves the highest penalty we can give it under current laws. The penalties go to federal and state agencies implementing restoration actions in the Gulf."

Among the 8,332 species living in the area, some of the most affected were brown pelicans, sea turtles, dolphins, and fish populations. And such losses have potential harmful impacts on the Gulf's ecosystem as a whole.

One recent study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, even noted that the spill is affecting swim speed of mahi-mahi, one of the world's fastest fish.

Another study released in July about the accident at the Deepwater Horizon well said the impact of the 2010 spill is far more widespread than previously thought. Researchers say the spill's "footprint" extends twice as far from the site than data first indicated.

The exact amount of the fine has yet to be determined, but the new ruling could mean a boost in efforts to help affected wildlife in the area, including wildlife and coastal restoration.