Before the early 1970s, our understanding of how oil might affect marine mammals came from conflicting field reports and popular news accounts. The

prevailing notion was that oil would foul the fur of seals, sea lions and otters, plug nasal passages, and intoxicate an animal breathing or ingesting petroleum hydrocarbons. These notions were bathed in an emotionally charged atmosphere in which feelings for dolphins and whales were running at a high pitch. At the same time, there was little concern over marine turtles. Consequently, experimental studies on the effects of oil on marine mammals have been given impetus, while turtles, in keeping with their popular stature, remain unheralded as research subjects.