Endangered sea turtles burned alive in oil spill response

Recent news has emerged from the Gulf Coast that BP is burning endangered sea turtles alive.

While using the controlled burns technique to contain the oil spill, any turtles that are not removed from the area before the fire is lit are being literally burned alive.

A boat captain who has been leading efforts to rescue the endangered turtles says BP has blocked his crews from entering the areas where the animals are trapped, effectively shutting down the rescue operation.

The way controlled burns work is that shrimp boats create a corral of oil by dragging together fire-resistant booms and then lighting the enclosed "burn box" on fire. Any animals not removed from the burn area are trapped.

The sea turtle most affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is the Kemp's Ridley, which is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

"They ran us out of there and then they shut us down. They would not let us get back in there," said turtle rescuer Mike Ellis in an interview with conservation biologist Catherine Craig that was posted on YouTube.

Environmental groups including the Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network have called on BP to end the practice, but BP has refused, denying that there's any problem.

Earlier last week, these groups filed a lawsuit demanding that BP take action to protect the endangered turtles.