Pelicans Fight to Survive

It's a race against time to save hundreds of oil soaked birds in the Gulf.  One rescue worker shoved a towel deep into a pelican's pouch to soak up oil.  It's a heartbreaking sight.

"Its devastating, we all wish it never happened," a rescuer said.

Despite BP's latest containment effort, the oil spill is still gushing and spewing 15,000 barrels of oil a day.  The images of defenseless birds covered in thick black goo are causing outrage around the world.

Some are lucky enough to be saved.  At a mobile animal shelter, weary rescue workers are overwhelmed by the sheer number of birds they're trying to save.

Birds are sorted into various pens awaiting cleaning, the effort is daunting.  It takes two rescue workers to hold a pelican still as another works to clean off the oil from its feathers and beak.    

It's a team effort.  After being cleaned, the birds are made as comfortable as possible in a drying room.  The devastating effects are expected to continue into the fall and beyond as oil continues to gush from the worst environmental disaster in US history.