The catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill might have had its share of contribution in the population decline of a species of sea turtle native to gulf, said conservationists. The Kemp's ridley turtle population is facing tough challenges to survive and has earned an endangered status in the list of the IUCN. It is very close to the door of extinction in the wild.

Oil from 4.9 million barrels had spilled into the ocean in 2010. Following the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the recovery of the turtle started declining, said Oregon State University professor, Selina Happell.

"It was on a rapid road to recovery, and the recovery came to an abrupt halt in 2010, and we don't know why. What the modeling suggests is that something very dramatic and unprecedented happened to the survival and reproduction of the species", said Happell.

During the Second International Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Symposium, the evidence was presented the first time to show that the spill had a role to play in decline of the turtle population. The evidence was also supported by a

study, confirming presence of oil in the carapace of 29 turtles that fed in the area of the spill in 2011 and 2012.

However, scientists have said that it has not been ascertained yet if the oil came from the Deepwater-Horizon oil spill. The only way to affirm that the oil came from the Deepwater-Horizon oil spill was to test blood samples of the turtles immediately after they were exposed to the oil.

There are many factors that are likely to have an impact on the sea turtle nestings, like natural variability, unusually cold temperatures and accidental capture in fishing gear, said BP spokesman Jason Ryan. Support from London-based oil giants has also been extended to help the endangered species increase its population.