Wildlife experts who are working on rescue efforts associated with the Gulf oil spill aftermath inform Discovery News that they anticipate triage systems will be established at refuges, beaches and other areas where animal victims of the spill are expected.
Triage means that treatment will be prioritized, with some animals undergoing euthanization while others are fed, hydrated, cleaned and prepared for ultimate release back into a clean habitat.
(An oiled bird after a spill in San Francisco Bay, 2007; Credit: Mila Zinkova)
According to Nils Warnock, field operations specialist at the California Oiled Wildlife Care Network, managed by the University of California at Davis, decisions are based on at least seven factors:
- the animal's red blood cell count and overall physical condition
- the life history stage of the particular animal, such as whether or not a bird has just molted its feathers
- the size of the animal
- what potential threat might exist to rescuers ("Big animals with big teeth are always an issue," Warnock said.)
- the percentage of body area covered by oil
- how much the animal appears to be suffering
- prior knowledge of the particular species and how well it tends to respond to treatment
This last factor is a developing one, based on experience as it builds over the years after trained specialists have attempted to rescue many different types of animals.
Smaller marine organisms, such as oysters, are not directly handled. "We can only try to keep oil out of oyster beds," Warnock told Discovery News, adding that booms are now being used to try and contain the enormous, moving slick.
Birds are some of the most frequent animals seen at rescue sites. Warnock said he and his colleagues have had "good success with gulls, OK success with brown pelicans, and generally good success with certain shorebirds, such as snowy plovers." He added that "loons have been more problematic," as have been birds that recently molted.
"After a bird molts its feathers, it is already in a stressed state, so these birds tend to be more vulnerable," he explained.
Seabird expert Dee Boersma, a professor of conservation science at the University of Washington, told Discovery News that penguins seem to be one of the best targets for rescue after oil spills near their habitats since "penguins are so hearty and they do feast and famine all of the time" as part of their seasonal cycles.
But Boersma feels penguins are a rare exception, with most treated animals dying after rescue anyway from related problems.
"Many of the animals come in completely covered in oil, which they have ingested, so they are already handicapped," she said.
"I liken it (triage) to how you would deal with a sick human relative," she said. "If your mother has terminal cancer, but there is a two percent chance of saving her with risky, costly surgery, you would have to make a decision" based on the expense, chance of survival, and expected quality of life even if she survives.
Boersma therefore thinks the time and resources spent on animal cleanups after spills should instead be devoted to preventing them from happening in the first place. She suggests that a cost be added to fuel prices to offset the damage oil causes to animals and to the environment. The damage, she says, is not just as a result of spills, but it happens on a daily, ongoing basis.
Warnock admits that some animals cannot be saved at rescue sites. "At that point, they are euthanized," he said.
Due to the danger of people being exposed to oil, which is a toxic substance, he warns that "no one should pick up wildlife by themselves. It's important that you stay away from the oil."
He and other experts instead urge individuals who encounter animals affected by the oil spill to phone this emergency hotline: 1-866-557-1401.
Callers will be prompted to provide the number and type of animals, the date and time they were seen, their location, and any observations made about the animals' behavior.
Tags: Animals, Current Events, Health, Human Behavior, Humans
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