Dolphins at risk from oil spill in Gulf

ORANGE BEACH, Alabama (WALA) - Just watching a dolphin's graceful motion through the water is a pleasure for anyone to see. But for some people in southern Baldwin County, Alabama, the welfare of these gentle mammals is of great concern since news of the oil spill.

"It's a bad thing to happen and we gotta deal with it and figure it out. It needs to be fixed," Captain Bill Kreamer said. "They are a beautiful thing, part of our environment. We enjoy watching them. Families love them, kids love them. They are just part of the environment that we need to keep."

Charter boat captains say there are hundreds of dolphins that are in the area, and a lot of captains make their living on dolphin tours.

"There are several captains out here that do nothing but dolphin cruises. So we need to save them," explained Kreamer.

Right now, the booms could be the only thing keeping the dolphins safe from oily water.

Captains say the friendly creatures of the sea deserve protection from disaster.