Nice video produced by The Miami Herald to understand the oiled bird washing going on at the Fort Jackson Wildlife Care Center in Louisiana.
Narrated by IBRRC’s Jay Holcomb (misidentified as Exec Director for Tri-State Bird Rescue) and Dr. Erica Miller who is staff veterinarian Tri-State.
International Bird Rescue and Tri-State are teaming up to handle the bird rescue response at the Gulf Oil Leak. Our 20+ staff are spread over four Gulf area states: Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida.
The massive oil leak involves a ruptured well head approximately 50 miles off the Louisiana coast. The drilling rig, the Deepwater Horizon, exploded on April 20, 2010 and sank in 5,000 feet of water. More than 100 workers scrambled off the burning rig in lifeboats. 11 workers died in the explosion and fire.
Thank you so much, everyone, for being there! Seeing the newly cleansed birds in your video updates is a ray of light in this daily worsening ecological tragedy. Wishing you all the strength to keep your spirits up . . .
thank you so much!!awesome work!! have done wildlife rescue, rehab and release too and am so available to help if you need any….
Keep it going! I know it has to be stressful for the workers, but after seeing so much bad, it's nice to see something positive.
The pictures published today made me cry. Hope you are able to do as much as you can. Any bird that's saved is a victory. Namaste.
Is the US Fish & Wildlife Service preventing IBRRC and Tri-State from collecting oiled birds in the manner and at the pace that they would otherwise be bringing oiled birds in for treatment? It seems that the number of birds needing treatment should be much, much higher. I am concerned that efforts to control information about the affected wildlife may actually contribute toward higher numbers of animal deaths, and fewer numbers of animals at least treated, if not saved. Please do respond – I'm sure many others would like to know these answers. Thanks.
I know I have read somewhere that there are enough local volunteers but after seeing all the dead and oiled covered birds on TV today I think many more must be needed to go out and look for the wildlife!
hhaving worked with 2 brown pelican, Dumbledorf and Bloddom, this past winter at the ARK in Port Aransas, TX seeing the birds and turtles is just so sad
I know I have read somewhere that there are enough local volunteers but after seeing all the dead and oiled covered birds on TV today I think many more must be needed to go out and look for the wildlife!
I winter in TX and worked with 2 brown pelican, Dumbledorf and Blossom, this past winter at the ARK in Port Aransas, TX seeing the birds and turtles is just so sad
You are awesome..all of you..thank you so much for caring for our beautiful wildlife…I can't say enough good things…you are so important to this mission….thank you again!!!
God Bless You!
I was ready to donate but since BP is doing the right thing, I will donate to my local animal shelter in honor of the work you are doing. The horrendous photos of birds in oil really hit a chord in my family. The helplessness of these beautiful creatures, caught in an incomprehensible nightmare is truly heartbreaking. You folks are saints on earth for what you are doing. THANK YOU.
I want to HELP. Seems like you need more than 16 workers to help all of those beautiful birds covered in oil. How about an idea for Obama? Put all of us out of work Americans TO WORK to help clean this mess and send the whopping bill to BP? I would be there tomorrow. Hell, I'd do it for free – BUT – disasters always present us with opportunities to either RISE or SINK to the occasion – Let Us Rise! Let's put unemployed Americans to work to save our coast, our treasured wildlife, and our Gulf Coast citizens. C'mon, where is that good ole American Can-Do spirit? Where are the ideas so we can get it done?! I can not just sit here and watch the birds and the Gulf Coast die. Please let's get something going!
I'm glad to see some birds rescued, but am heartbroken to see so many others suffering. I hope you are able to rescue as many as possible. Was wondering where the birds are released once they are better. Hopefully not back into the gulf areas to be oiled again?
Knowing that wildlife is suffering due to the oil spill is heartbreaking and gut wrenching.
The ray of hope and goodness is that dedicated folks are helping these innocent souls.
From the bottom of my heart: Thank you
Thank you so much for the work that you are doing to help these innocent animals. You are a bright and beautiful ray of hope in this unspeakably terrible disaster. God bless each one of you — and the birds.
HELLO, THIS IS WONDERFUL YOU ARE BEING ABLE TO SAVE SOME OF THOSE POOR BIRDS. I LIVE IN NORMANDY, FRANCE, AND I FEAR WE MAY ALSO HAVE OIL SPILL FOLLOWING THE GULF STREAM COME ON OUR BEACHES. BUT I AM SURE WE WON'T BE AS GOOD AS YOU RESCUEING BIRDS. YOU DO A WONDERFUL WORK!!!!! THANKS SO MUCH!!
It makes me sick to see what is happening to the animals. I feel for the people who have been impacted by the oil spill. But the animals don't know what it is, don't know how to avoid it and are helpless when they are exposed to it. I don't have much money but if there is anything I can do, I will. Please let me/us know what we can do to help…and thank you for all of your efforts!
What a lovely video!
Thank you for your courageous, generous efforts to help these animals!
If they could speak, I'm SURE they would say "thank you!"
I am typing this w/ tears in my eyes… As the pelican is my home's state bird, I am forever grateful & thankful to all of you at IBR for all your hard work, love and compassion y'all put into the care & cleaning of all animals in need. Thank God for all of you and your compassion and care during this trying time.
Thank you all so very much for your words of encouragement and your compassion for the wildlife affected by the spill. I just wanted to let you know that everyone – staff and volunteers – deeply appreciate you thinking of us.
Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Inc