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"Lots of people talk to animals,
not to many listen - that's the problem" Winnie the Pooh
Although the story about the
treatment\cleaning of the Mallard
ducklings sounds like a simple, easy process; in fact, it is much more complicated
than is indicated in the story.
Removing petroleum products from wildlife, especially birds, is a very complex and
technical procedure. There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration
before the animal can be cleaned. These techniques and procedures have been established
through the "International Bird Rescue and Research Centers" many years of
research and experience with birds caught in oil spills.
Blood is drawn for analysis to make sure the animal has the proper blood values that will
enable it to survive the cleaning process. Once the blood meets the specified values, the
animal is washed with a special detergent diluted to a specific ratio with the water. The
water temperature is kept to a constant 105 degrees. The agitation of the soapy water MUST
be done in a specific manner, to prevent feather damage.
Washing and rinsing until the animal is oil free is no easy task and the final rinse must
be done with a certain specialized nozzle.
There is also a short, limited handling time to prevent undo amounts of stress to the
animal. Animals do die from stress quite easily, which means the time limit is strictly
adhered to. If the animal is not completely clean at the end of the time limit, the animal
is placed in a separate drying pen from the clean animals and washed again the next day.
This repeats as needed. (special drying pens and dryers are required.)
The animal also has to be treated for toxicity immediately upon arrival. Oil and petroleum
products are very toxic and an animals basic instinct is to clean and preen itself.
Obviously, this involves the animal licking itself. This means they ingest the poisons
covering them. To prevent toxic poisoning,prompt and qualified treatment is needed to
ensure their recovery. Before release, more blood work is done to ensure normal values are
met. Also, marine birds and animals must be waterproof.
Because of these factors, and the fact that oil\petroleum spills are regulated as toxic
materials, animals caught in an oil spill should be handled by qualified professionals or
organizations. If you are not qualified, please do not attempt to clean or treat wildlife
covered in oil\petroleum products by yourself.
If you are in need of this kind of assistance and in the Southern California area, please
call us at 562-434-0141 or e-mail us at recovery@awre.org