More than three decades after the Exxon Valdez oil spill on March 24, 1989, oiled wildlife response has advanced dramatically—thanks in part to International Bird Rescue. With over 50 years of expertise and more than 260 spill responses worldwide, Bird Rescue has pioneered innovative techniques that have significantly improved survival rates.
Early responses were ad-hoc, but today, trained professionals, advanced protocols, and purpose-built facilities ensure a more effective approach. Preemptive capture techniques like noose and funnel traps rescue birds before deterioration, improving survival. Medical stabilization—including thermoregulation, fluid therapy, disease screening, and sedation—now occurs before washing, reducing stress and improving outcomes. Research confirms that seabirds can recover, thrive, and even surpass expected lifespans, proving the long-term viability of modern rehabilitation techniques.
Barbara Callahan, Bird Rescue’s Senior Director of Response, has led teams in some of the world’s worst spills, including the Erika spill in France and Deepwater Horizon. Under her leadership, wildlife rescue is integrated into disaster planning, training, and drills, ensuring science-based preparedness and rapid response.
From cutting-edge medical care to embedding trained wildlife teams in Incident Command, Bird Rescue continues to lead—training the next generation of responders and proving that expertise and dedication have a lasting impact on wildlife in a changing world.