As oil from the ongoing Deepwater BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico approaches the U.S. coastline, wildlife preservationists are redoubling efforts to protect and safe the diverse animal life that flourishes in the region. Hundreds of animals have already died as a result of the oil spill, including sea turtles, dolphins, and birds. Check on conservation efforts taking place now via this story (and the photos below) from the NRDC's OnEarth blog.

Following an address in which President Obama conceded that the U.S. does not have the technology necessary to prevent or fix such disasters, the government approved the building of a "barrier island" off the coast of Louisiana to protect the coastline from contamination.

Click here for a livestream of the oil gushing from a broken riser. Click here for an index of recent video and photos from the disaster.

Click here to find out how you can help protect wildlife that is threatened by this crisis. Join this Facebook group for more information on how you can help or volunteer in the area affected by the oil spill.

Photo via OnEarth Magazine's flickr stream.