After collecting more than 40 oiled birds over the weekend, the search continues for soiled wildlife after a tanker spilled 400 to 800 gallons of bunker fuel into San Francisco Bay last Friday morning.
So far, 35 live birds had been collected and another 11 had been found dead, according to the California Department of Fish and Game.
Most of the attention has been turned on the Alameda area where the beach has been coated with tar balls from the spill from the Panama-based Dubai Star.
The cleaning of oiled birds has already begun at the San Francisco Oiled Wildlife Care & Education Center (SFBOCEC) that is co-managed by the Oiled Wildlife Care Network and IBRRC.
You can watch a video on OWCN’s blog:
We’re washing shore birds today (dowitchers and a plover). Thought folks might like to see a short video clip. The oil is very thick and starting to get more tarry so we use a pre-treating agent to loosen the oil and make it easier to clean off the feathers. You’ll see plenty of it coming off on the person’s gloves.
– Greg Greg Massey, OWCN Assistant Director
If you find any oiled wildlife, please immediately contact 1.877.UCD.OWCN (1-877-823-6926).
No volunteers are needed at this time.
For response information: The Press/Media should call (510) 437-3808.
Who and what is California’s Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN)?
