BP (NYSE:BP) Civil Lawsuit, Plaintiff Wildlife Activists

It seems among the many civil lawsuits and class action lawsuits, BP (NYSE:BP) is facing yet another one, the plaintiff being wildlife activists. The plaintiffs are saying that endangered turtles are intentionally being put at risk by BP because they are getting trapped in the booms used for the collection of oil. Then the turtles are being burned by the controlled burns that BP is using to eliminate oil from the spill.

William Eubanks and Jason Burge, lawyers for the environmentalist have requested a restraining order against BP for any further activities in the Gulf that will threaten or put the endangered turtles further into harms way. The papers were filed in a New Orleans Federal Court yesterday. A simple solution would be for BP to check the corrals for the turtles before the oil is ignited, said the environmentalist. They are also claiming that the killing of these endangered turtles is viewed as an "illegal taking" of an endangered species under the environmental laws.

" BP has already killed or otherwise harmed" hundreds of the Kemp's Ridley, Loggerhead, and Leatherback's, among many other species of endangered turtles. BP is the only defendant named in the lawsuit. Tony Odone, BP's spokesman said they had no comment on pending litigation.