Oil Spills and Their Impact on Wildlife
Oil spills can have a tremendous impact on our wildlife population. Several factors determine the severity of damage, such as the type of oil, toxicity of the oil spilled, and the size of the spill. If an oil spill occurs in remote, ecologically rich coastal waters, or when breeding populations of birds, fish, and mammals are returning from their breeding grounds, the impact can be catastrophic.
The Effects of Oil on Wildlife
According to the Wildlife Health Center at the University of California, there are several ways that oil can affect our seabirds and marine mammals. For example, when the oil comes in contact with a bird, it results in a physical alteration of the feather structure.This creates a loss in the ability for their feathers to trap air and repel water, and the birds are then unable to maintain their body heat, resulting in hypothermia. Marine mammals such as sea otters and fur seals rely on a dense haircoat to maintain warmth and buoyancy. This haircoat acts as insulation to the cold seawater they are exposed to. Oil alters the alignment of these dense hairs exposing their skin. They then lose their natural ability to retain heat, also leading to hypothermia.
Internal organs can also become damaged when wildlife ingest the oil as they preen their feathers or groom their coats of fur. Ingested petroleum products can cause direct damage to the gastrointestinal tract, impairing the ability to digest and absorb food. Oil ingestion by wildlife can also lead to anemia, neurological damage, kidney or liver failure, and reduce reproductive ability.
Rescue and Rehabilitation of Oiled Wildlife
The Oiled Wildlife Care Network has responded to over seventy-five spill events. Based on their ongoing research and experienced gained, the OWCN has developed the following process for rescuing and treating oiled wildlife. Successful recovery of oil-affected wildlife is dependent upon this process.
1. Search and Collection Trained organizations and volunteer staff search for and collect both live and dead oiled wildlife in affected habitats. Animals must be stabilized either in the field or upon arrival at the nearest deoiling facility.
2. Intake Once arrived,the animals are then given a full exam and the degree of oiling is determined. A feather or hair sample is collected, photographs are taken, and a full medical record is created.
3. Prewash Stabilization Rescued wildlife are warmed, fed, and hydrated as much as eight times per day. The animals are then allowed to rest up to forty eight hours and once medically stable are then moved on to be washed.
4. Cleaning A series of tubs are used, filled with a mixture of a diluted cleaning agent and hot, softened water. The animals are washed using specific cleaning procedures. Wildlife are then rinsed thoroughly and placed in drying pens. Washing and rinsing can take anywhere from one to several hours, depending on the animal affected and the degree of oiling subjected to.
5. Pre-Release Conditioning Outdoor pools or species-appropriate housing are then provided for the post oiled animals. They are allowed to groom their feathers or haircoat to restore waterproofing. This process can take three to five days, or up to several months when injuries are present.
6. Release Release of rescued wildlife is dependent upon successful waterproofing, a normal physical exam, and species appropriate behavior. Once determined ready for release, the animals are tagged with an identification band and released into a clean habitat.
7. Post Release Assessment Post release survival studies are conducted when the spill requires further follow up. This can sometimes include attaching radiotelemetry devices to various species in order to monitor the survival and movement of the released animal.
Oil spills affect birds, mammals, sea turtles and other reptiles, fish and aquatic invertebrates, and their habitat. According to the National Wildlife Federation, the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico threatens more than four hundred fish and wildlife species relying on the Gulf coast for food, cover,and breeding areas.
The Consolidated Fish and Wildlife collection report provided by the Deep Water Horizon Response Team resources the following statistics:
Dead Mammals: 86
Oiled but alive 9
Cleaned and released 3
Dead Birds: 5,701
Oiled but alive 2,055
Cleaned and released 1,177
Dead Sea Turtles: 562
Oiled but alive 524
Cleaned and released 208
Relocated nests 278
For more information on oil spills and their effect on wildlife or rescue and rehabilitation of oiled wildlife, please visit the following links:
How Can You Help?
There are many ways an individual or group can help with the current oil spill in the Gulf. Some of the links listed above have information on volunteering. Several more ways are listed below.
Wildlife Hotline: 1-866-557-1401
BP Response Volunteer Request: 1-866-448-5816
The National Wildlife Federation encourages cell phone users to text WILDLIFE to 20222 to donate $10.00
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