Australian beaches Oil-soaked 'Disaster Zones' [PICTURES]

The state Environment Protection Agency was concerned about the spill's impact on wildlife but said Friday only 13 oil-affected animals had been spotted. Spokesman Clive Cook said agency workers had caught and cleaned three of those — a pelican, a turtle and a wading bird.

NVDL: I wonder what impact oil slicks have on fish... You can view a slideshow at the link below.

clipped from news.yahoo.com BRISBANE, Australia – Authorities declared a disaster zone Friday along a stretch of some of Australia's most pristine and popular beaches after tons of fuel oil that leaked from a stricken cargo ship rolled ashore as black sludge. The potential for long-term environmental damage was not clear. The affected area is far to the south of the Great Barrier Reef, which was not under threat. Slideshow:Oil spill soaks Australian beaches Wildlife authorities said the only animal victims so far were a handful of birds that had been soaked in oil, but warned things could get worse as long as the slick remained. "This could ... be the worst environmental disaster we have faced," she said.