Cooperative Efforts I Abstracts
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Insights from efforts to test wildlife response in a large-scale UK inland exercise Adam Grogan RSPCA Full Abstract
Incorporating wildlife response into industry exercises may be commonplace in countries where it is a regulatory requirement or where wildlife response capability is well-integrated with government and industry systems. In the United Kingdom, while historical involvement in wildlife response efforts dates back to the 1960’s at the Torrey Canyon oil spill, the operational integration of wildlife response has been somewhat of a grey area. For the home countries of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland the various Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs) have been recognised in the National Contingency Plan (NCP) as being able to provide a response in maritime areas but not fully integrated into formal response structures. This has led to confusion and mistaken assumptions regarding the response capability and operational readiness of these entities. In this context, a large-scale ExxonMobil Regional Response Team (RRT) exercise was organised in the Cotswolds, England in June 2022. Through Oil Spill Response Limited, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) were invited to participate and to help shape the wildlife aspect of the exercise to optimise the learning regarding current gaps and challenges with regards to operational wildlife response. In addition to exploring general challenges of wildlife response integration, the inland context of the exercise scenario also provided added opportunities to explore response in a challenging location with a very different set of stakeholders. In this paper, the authors will share insights and lessons learned from the experience of designing and participating in this exercise that may be of relevance to the wider topic of wildlife response integration as well as to improving wildlife response preparedness in the United Kingdom. |
Creating a Multi-Stakeholder Community of Practice for Wildlife Preparedness & Response
Rich Davi ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences Inc. Full Abstract
Many wildlife species are vulnerable to impacts from hundreds of natural and anthropogenic disasters that occur globally on an annual basis. Response to wildlife during a disaster can vary worldwide from local levels to international responses. Furthermore, emergency response infrastructure varies across geographic regions, and priorities specific to wildlife responses and conservation monitoring are even more variable within and across infrastructures. The views of emergency response practitioners toward preparedness for wildlife response during disasters are likely to influence how conservation challenges are addressed during disaster responses. This exploratory study examined the views and capabilities of emergency response practitioners toward preparedness for wildlife response and conservation initiatives during disasters. A structured survey method was used to survey members of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), Regional Response Teams, and employees of state and federal emergency management agencies. The Animal and Human Solidarity Measure (Amiot and Bastian, 2017), the Wildlife Value Orientation Scale (Fulton, Manfredo, and Lipscomb, 1996), and additional Likert-scale survey questions were used to assess wildlife views, along with collection of relevant demographic data. Quantitative data analysis was performed to explore relationships between wildlife priorities and emergency response decision-making. The results of this study can impact contingency planning and conservation programs by integrating identified wildlife views and resource needs into planning efforts by emergency response entities. The need for this type of data is increasing to mitigate climate change impacts to wildlife and biodiversity, and results can benefit global emergency response professionals as well as wildlife research and conservation communities. |
EUROWA:
a European mutual assistance system for oiled wildlife emergencies Saskia Sessions-Puplett Sea Alarm Foundation Full Abstract
In an oil spill where thousands of marine animals may be affected, the effectiveness of an international oiled wildlife response can be crucial in their rescue and treatment, through having access to professionally trained responders who can assist oiled animals arriving onshore, while more experienced resources are mobilised from abroad. Rather than having to invest nationally into preparedness for more serious scenarios, countries can collaborate so they blend their national resources to create an international system that can work on larger scales. This is the philosophy behind EUROWA, a regional European mutual assistance system for wildlife emergencies. EUROWA is based on mutual trust amongst its NGO members, who respond jointly and create guidelines and training materials which improve the group’s ability to respond and pass knowledge onto local responders. This cooperation, underpinned by the EUROWA Charter, provides a work force of trained and aligned responders, who can mobilise internationally and work alongside in-country responders educated to the same standards. Its value was demonstrated in the 2018 Bow Jubail incident in the Netherlands, where EUROWA (and GOWRS) experts were mobilised, and became heavily involved in designing and operating a temporary facility where 500 oiled swans were successfully rehabilitated. While the concept of mutual assistance has been used for many years within the wildlife response community, EUROWA was created in 2015 and has continued to develop via support from EU Civil Protection. The current round of funding supports the EUROWA-2 project, boosting the network’s capability to provide assistance in Europe and integrating this capability into existing European Commission and Regional Agreement mechanisms. EUROWA-2 is developing new educational tools for governments, incorporating sea turtle expertise and adding new courses to the EUROWA training portfolio. This paper describes how EUROWA operates, its main objectives and explains how the EUROWA-2 project will help achieve them. Collaboration between industry stakeholders has continued to evolve since then, also encouraged by the fact that “wildlife” was recognised as one of the 15 priority targets for strengthening tiered response preparedness. In 2019, industry delegates participated in an IPIECA-funded workshop facilitated by Sea Alarm and some of the GOWRS Project Partners to map the journey of implementing that target. To carry forward the recommendations from this workshop the Wildlife Preparedness and Response ‘Community of Practice’ was formed out of the IAG and has been meeting quarterly since early 2021. The group aims to share experiences and lessons learned, support and drive implementation and continue nurturing strong collaboration across the industry and beyond. In 2022, global stakeholders are coming together again at the Interspill Conference to review progress to date and discuss future priorities. One aim of this gathering is to expand participation in the Community of Practice to governmental and shipping industry stakeholders. The hope is to use this forum to keep stakeholders connected and to support collaboration on a shared future work program that strengthens wildlife response preparedness globally. This paper will explore the genesis of the Community of Practice, the journey to date and lessons learned. The authors will also provide an update on the Interspill 2022 gathering and summarise identified future priorities, which will require active participation by all stakeholder groups if they are to be achieved. |
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Aiuká’s Role in Oil Spill Preparedness and Wildlife Responses in Brazil
Andre Justo Aiuká Full Abstract
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Demonstration of Collaborative Agency Working on Oil Spill Response of Kent, UK
Adam Grogan RSPCA Full Abstract
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Cooperative Efforts II Abstracts
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The Association of Zoos and Aquariums SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) African penguin program, and its collaboration with SANCCOB, Government agencies and Industry to develop Oil spill preparedness and response for African penguins and seabirds in South Africa.
Jess Phillips the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. Full Abstract
In 2016 the Association of Zoos and Aquariums developed a new conservation initiative entitled Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE). The goal was to combine resources and conservation efforts that individual AZA institutions were doing on particular species, independent from other AZA Institutions and streamline them into a multi institute combined operation. Initially, 10 signature species were chosen to focus on during the first 3 years, with additional species being proposed and added to the program after that. The endangered African penguin was one of the initial species chosen, and detailed projects and work plans were developed in a variety of areas that threaten the rapidly declining numbers of this iconic species. Oil spill and disaster preparedness and response being one of the programs established. The Author travelled to South Africa to meet with Stake Holders and working closely with SANCCOB’s oil spill response manager developed a strategy that initially focused on establishing preparedness for potential oil spill hot spots. The project involved; developing colony specific contingency plans, providing stabilization and oil spill response equipment for colonies and rehab centers, and provide much needed training for first responders from all agencies. The presentation will show how the implementation of plans and placing equipment in the Algoa Bay area, resulted in a rapid and organized response to oiled wildlife events, based around a growing fuel bunkering operation that is situated close to important African penguin and other endangered seabird species breeding grounds. It will demonstrate how cooperation between government and NGO’s can produce a successful outcome for oiled wildlife. Finally it will show how the projects ongoing plans to assist with providing training and equipment helped during a recent oil spill drill on Robben Island, in Cape Town. |
Namibia’s marine biodiversity gets a helping hand from industry Nicky Stander The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) Full Abstract
The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), is endemic to South Africa and Namibia. It was formally the most abundant seabird species in the Benguela upwelling ecosystem, but, following large declines of the species in the 20th century and a collapse of the South African population in the present century, is now classified as Endangered. Its population is at its lowest level in history and despite several conservation actions being implemented by a variety of stakeholders, the species continues on a downward population trajectory, thus prompting a holistic approach to seabird conservation by focussing on the breeding distribution in both countries. These two countries form part of the Benguela Current Commission (BCC) along with Angola which promotes sustainable human and ecosystem well-being. African penguins breed in South Africa and Namibia traversing the entire Atlantic Ocean coastline off West Africa, travelling as far as Angola. Many threats face the African penguin and other seabird species, including food availability, disease, effects of climate change and pollution. Oil pollution remains a high risk due to the focus on marine economic development along the African coastline. The Namibian coastline is vast, with one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Namibia is currently ill-prepared to respond to marine wildlife affected by an oil spill, which would result in devastating consequences for Namibia’s last remaining African penguins. To address this, SANCCOB and the Debmarine-Namdeb Foundation have partnered with the Namibian government and other conservation agencies to form NAMCOB; a non-profit organisation dedicated to conserve Namibia’s seabirds and strengthen the Namibian Islands Marine Protected Area. This talk will discuss how industry can play a fundamental role in protecting natural living resources, how transboundary agreements can enhance preparedness and response capabilities, including key outputs to date, and how stakeholder collaboration results in multiple benefits and opportunities. |
Long Beach Harbor Elegant Tern Rescue 2021 Julie Skoglund Kylie Clatterbuck International Bird Rescue Full Abstract
A new study published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology finds steep, long-term losses across virtually all groups of birds in the U.S. and Canada that scientists call “staggering.” The Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans) is a seabird species that is listed by IUCN as “near-threatened”. With a limited nesting range and only five known breeding colonies in Mexico and California, this species is particularly sensitive to disruption during the breeding season. In July 2021, a wildlife crisis began when a nesting colony of 10,000 Elegant Terns selected two rock-covered barges in Long Beach Harbor as their nesting site after being disturbed from their preferred nesting grounds. As eggs began to hatch on the barge, newly hatched chicks, mobile but still unable to fly, were tumbling off the edge of the barges into the chilly waters of Long Beach Harbor. Without rescue, thousands of chicks would have drowned and a generation would have been lost. Rescuers spent several weeks patrolling the waters around the barges, and scooping drowning chicks from the water. Mitigation and rescue efforts were performed at the barge while simultaneous rehabilitation efforts were conducted to help rescue over 3,000 chicks that were ultimately returned to the colony. Surviving chicks have now been sighted as far north as San Francisco, and as far south as Costa Rica. This presentation will discuss the massive rescue and rehabilitation efforts conducted during this incident, as well as the cooperation and collaboration amongst local government agencies, industry, NGOs, and scientists that made the effort possible. |