Oiled Wildlife & Disaster Response 1 Abstracts

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Decontaminating Raptors

Michelle Knapp & Cristin Kelley, DVM
Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Inc, DE
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Full Abstract

Every year, Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research receives a variety of raptor patients, from screech owls to Bald Eagles, that are contaminated with non-petroleum products such as cooking oil, silt mud, manure, and fly trap residue. These cases offer unique challenges in medical care, husbandry, and decontamination. This presentation discusses methods, strategies, special considerations, and challenges involved in decontaminating and rehabilitating these patients.

Medical Problems of Oiled Birds
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Rebecca Duerr, DVM, MPVM, PhD
International Bird Rescue,
​CA
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Full Abstract

In order to make it to release, oiled birds (and their caregivers) must surmount a veritable mountain of problems, many of which have similarities and differences from typical issues seen in birds rehabilitated for other reasons. These include immediate drowning, lethal hypothermia, exhaustion, and starvation, plus chemical burns, gastrointestinal ulceration, respiratory tract damage, eye injuries, plumage problems, cardiovascular problems, and other toxic effects of oil. We discuss these problems, their treatments, and how each one affects the likelihood of a successful outcome.

Evaluating Surfactants for Removing Petrochemicals from Feathers

Erica Miller, DVM
University of Pennsylvania, DE
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Full Abstract

Periodic assessment of new and reformulated detergents is necessary to ensure that the most effective products are used for decontaminating oiled wildlife. Sixteen surfactants determined by Ambrose & Tegtmeier (2015) to be subjectively effective at removing oil from feathers (based on feather appearance and water-repellency) were selected for objective evaluation. This study used methods developed and described previously (Bryndza et al. 1991) to uniformly oil the feathers with a mixture of components found in many petroleum spills, then subjected them to a “wash.” And the best cleaner is ...

Drill Baby Drill

Curt Clumpner
Oiled Wildlife Care Network, CA

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Full Abstract

While reality rarely matches our expectations, there is high value in developing “realistic” scenarios of emergency events and playing through them in an exercise. This is a regular practice for professional emergency responders but can be equally beneficial for wildlife rehabilitators. This paper discusses a range of different types of drills from simple to complex and highlights how to use them to better prepare yourself or your organization to respond effectively during a disaster, increasing the chances of survival for you and the animals involved. As someone once said, “any exercise is better than no exercise.”

Rehabilitation of Over 500 Oiled Swans

Claude Velter & Isabelle Allemeersch
Wildlife Rescue Center Ostende, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
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Full Abstract

A harbor spill in Rotterdam oiled several hundred Mute swans on June 26, 2018. Within 24 hours, the local rehabilitation facilities were overcrowded and the Dutch government activated their national oiled wildlife contingency plan. A temporary facility was set up in the harbor to hold, wash, and treat 600 swans. Because of the breeding season, most rehabilitation facilities were not able to send many staff and volunteers, so experts from different countries, including the US, were invited. The result of this strong international response was a successful release of 511 swans, an incredible 97% release rate.

The European Oiled Wildlife Assistance Philosophy on Training

Claude Velter
Wildlife Rescue Center Ostende, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
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Full Abstract

Started as a group of organisations acting on oiled wildlife, the European Oiled Wildlife Assistance groups developed different training modules over the years. The main goals are maintaining high quality oiled wildlife response and passing on those skills and knowledge to new organizations, partners, and generations so Europe can be better prepared. The training modules target roles on the work floor (Specialist, Advanced, Basic) but also include Managers and Section heads. This paper presents the structure of the training packages and provides examples of how modular roles are defined and trained.