Photograph of Anacapa Island which is one of fives islands that make up the Channel Islands located off the coast of southern California, along the Santa Barbara Channel. Photo copyright Ana Elisa Fuentes

Published on May 24th 2015: The Mic has quoted NPR “This spill is particularly bad news because it strikes at the Santa Barbara Channel, which NPR calls “one of the most biologically rich places on the planet.”

According to the National Park Service website the Santa Barbara Channel Islands: “Channel Islands National Park has more endangered species that only exist within this park than any other unit of the National Park Service. This means that survival of these plants and animals depends entirely on our ability to protect and restore the habitat of the five park islands.“

Photograph copyright Ana Elisa Fuentes