Birds covered in oil is a particular problem worldwide, and it’s not good that we now have an American president who is determined to ‘drill, drill, drill’, as rescue groups are likely to have to help more birds that are covered in oil. Unless he changes policy.
If you find a bird (or birds) covered in oil, report to:
- The coastguard and RSPCA
- Your local environment agency
- British Divers Marine Life Rescue (for mammals)
- For illegal oil dumping, contact National Wildlife Crime Unit (or Crimestoppers to be anonymous). And/or Animal Crimewatch.
Birds in particular are at risk, as if covered in oil, they will try to preen the oil off, which can cause them to ingest it more. It’s important to remove the oil, as birds either drown or freeze to death, without their feathers in good condition.
East Sussex Wildlife Ambulance (which often has to help oiled birds) says that it’s not just engine oil, but some birds end up in their care, covered in cooking oil that has been poured down the drain or illegally dumped, and found its way into the sea.
It says another issue is sunken ships from World War II that sometimes still lose their cargo, and leak oil into the sea.
Fishermen, sailors, and beachgoers can spot oil early. Report oil spills to Marine Management Organisation.
Palm Oil Washing Up On Beaches
This is also dangerous to dogs – read our post on keeping dogs safe by the seaside.
HMS Coastguard has more info on palm oil, which comes from the fruit oil of palm trees, and looks like ‘big chunks of earwax, when it drops off commercial boats, transporting it for the food and cosmetics industry.
Again, this substance usually ends up in seas, due to ship crews flushing out residue, which can solidify especially in England’s cold sea waters.
If you see any, report it to your local council, or dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard, who can start identification and clean-ups.
How to Help Oiled Seabirds Safely
It’s important that experts get involved, as it’s a complicated process to clean oil from seabirds and other creatures (like otters).
- Keep your distance. Don’t touch or chase the creature.
- Note the location. Record landmarks, GPS if possible, and take photos.
- Call for help. Contact your local wildlife rescue, coastguard, or the RSPCA.
- Wait nearby. Guide rescuers if you can, but let them handle the bird.
Never try to wash or feed the bird yourself. Oil is toxic, and improper handling can scare, harm, or even kill the bird.
How to Prevent Oil Spills Worldwide
This is the main way to prevent such incidents. Obviously, creating oil-free economies is key. In summary, the main ways to help are:
- Never wash cars on your driveway or at supermarket car washes. Either use a professional car wash that recycles the water, or use a waterless car wash.
- Never pour cooking oil (or cream liqueurs like Bailey’s) down sinks (you can wrap and bin small amounts). For larger amounts, use an oil-recycling container, which you can then use to dispose of used oil at recycling centres. This avoids clogging drains and causing ‘fatbergs’.
- Choose reusable over disposable. Most disposable items are made from plastic (which is made from oil). So the more disposable plastic you reduce, the less oil there is.
- The Green Blue has tips to prevent oil pollution, for sustainable sailors. This includes only filling the tank to 90% of capacity, using oil-absorbent pads in bilges, and not using soaps to disperse spills (it’s illegal).
- Hair booms can help to soak up oil in spills, using donated cut hair from salons worldwide. This is because hair soaks up oil, but they are only good for shallow water small spills, and in deep waters, they sink.
Just one litre of oil can pollution one million litres of water.
Support EarthJustice to Stop Trump Drilling
In sunny Florida, pelicans (big birds with pouches in their bills, to catch several fish at once) are often at risk from oil spills, due to many leisure and commercial boats.
It has wonderful volunteers to help, and even has a refuge island for pelicans to be monitored and looked after. Also birds that have been found emaciated, due to over-fishing by humans.
Pelicans feed their chicks up to 30 times a day, so it’s important that their habitats have good fish stocks. Other threats to pelicans are injuries from fishing line/hooks and habitat loss (rising sea temperatures means birds cannot dive deep enough to find food).
But recent major oil spills have wiped out pelican populations, and there is great concern, now various areas in the USA are about to be open for more drilling for oil.
One spill a few years back killed over 100,000 birds and turtles, billions of oysters and trillions of newly hatched fish.
Now 15 years later, President Trump seeks to reopen this area of the Gulf Coast to drill for oil and gas.
The environmental organisation EarthJustice is now suing the Trump administration, for its attempts to turn public waters off nearly every US coastlines, into oil fields.
