In the face of what has now become the largest environmental disaster in the history of the United States, some people are having fun with statistics. Ireland’s largest bookmaker, Paddy Power plc, announced this morning that it is currently taking bets on the first species to become extinct as a direct result of the current spill. With odds of 4/5, the already endangered Kemp’s Ridley Turtle heads the list. The Ridley Turtle earned its place as a favorite due its annual migration to the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) at exactly this time of year. The second-favorite Bluefin Tuna follows with 6/4 odds. According to the press release, this brand of fish recently failed to make the UN’s list of protected fish. The Leatherback Sea Turtle and Brown Pelicans hold the third and fourth position in the list respectively (both at odds of 8/1). For those who prefer the long shot, the following list rounds out the top ten species expected to fall by the wayside as a result of the spill: 4/5 Kemp’s Ridley Turtle 6/4 Bluefin Tuna 8/1 Leatherback Sea Turtle 8/1 Brown Pelicans 12/1 Loggerhead Turtle 16/1 Sperm Whale 16/1 Blue Whale 20/1 Gulf Sturgeon 20/1 Smalltooth Sawfish 20/1 Elkhorn Coral It’s obvious that this bookie’s list is done tongue-in-cheek, but it goes without saying that the GoM spill is certainly no laughing matter. While this list is somewhat hyphenated, it does cover some of the better-known species to inhabit the Gulf. Nevertheless, it is simply incomplete until you add offshore drillers somewhere in the Top Five. What are the odds?
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