How does automotive gasoline that has contaminated a certain area effect wildlife?

This is actually a more common problem than most people realize. Refueling stations commonly have underground tanks that start to leak from heat cycling, ground water pressure and old age.





The fuel can contaminate the ground water, which will in turn sterilize the soil bacteria, poison the insect larvae in local streams and rivers, result in poisoned fish, potentially poisoning other predators up the food chain.





Poisoning can be mild to severe ranging from liver damage, impotency, muscle paralysis, slowed reaction, brain dysfunction, death, etc.





The constituents of gasoline and other petroleum fuels include hexane, hexene, xylene, heptane, octane nonane, decane, sodium lauryl sulfate, and more. Source the Material Safety Data sheets for all of these items to see for yourself the kind if risk to wildlife and humans.