Report: Gulf oil spill was deadly time for turtles - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

WEST PALM BEACH, FL (WKOW) -- A new report finds that more sea turtles were killed or injured in the Gulf of Mexico in the months following the BP oil spill than in any similar period during the past two decades.

The National Wildlife Federation, the Sea Turtle Conservancy and the Florida Wildlife Federation released the report.

While researchers suggest many of the 600 turtles were hurt by the spill, it's still not clear exactly how many died from ingesting the oil or how many drowned in fishing nets. Scientists site cold weather and other factors unrelated to the spill that may have contributed to the high number of turtle deaths.

The report says the rate of dead, disabled and diseased sea turtles discovered in the months following the massive April 20 spill was four to six times above average.