The Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 spilled 10.8 million gallons of oil in Prince William Sound, Alaska, devastating wildlife. Over 100,000 seabirds and thousands of other animals died. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010 occurred when a BP drilling rig exploded, releasing 795,000 liters of oil per day. By weeks after the explosion, the spill had grown to circumference over 600 miles and was visible from space. Both spills caused massive environmental damage through destruction of ecosystems and wildlife.