http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2010/06/04/animal_rescuers_try_to_stay_ahead_of_oil_tide?mode=PFBURAS, LA. — A brown pelican, its delicate feathers layered with gooey black oil, squirmed as a veterinarian held its long beak closed and plunged the bird into a black sink bubbling over with Dawn dishwashing soap.
Within 45 minutes, the bird was clean — and headed for a blow dry. Then it would join other de-oiled pelicans in recovery at “Pelican Island,’’ a large plywood cage located in a sort of MASH unit for birds suffering from the biggest oil contamination in the nation’s history.
Until now, the number of oiled animals plucked from the crude-slicked Gulf of Mexico and its shore has been perplexingly small: more than 140 birds and 26 turtles by yesterday. Scientists believe that the location of the oil spill far from shore, as well as favorable weather, has limited the visible death toll thus far.
But environmental officials are bracing for a rise in animal casualties as the viscous goo begins to infiltrate coastal areas and on-water rescue efforts ramp up.
Oil-coated pelican eggs were discovered this week at Breton National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana. Just yesterday afternoon, 60 oiled birds were discovered at the Queen Bess Island Pelican Rookery in Louisiana.
Jellyfish are mired in a chocolate syrup-like layer on the water surface near the leak, one on-water rescue veterinarian said yesterday. There is so much thick oil that it takes an eagle eye to find the dark-colored turtles immersed in it.
“The turtles are out there, but we may be missing a lot because they are so hard to see,’’ said Charles Innis, head veterinarian for the New England Aquarium.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> MORE <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
