Delaware team leads wildlife recovery

[depakid]

Veterinarian Erica Miller holds a young male brown pelican, gently and slowly stroking his bill with a baby toothbrush to remove a tar-like coating of dark brown-and-orange oil. Miller's gown and gloves are covered in dark streaks, pungent evidence of one of the worst oil spills in history. As Miller finishes brushing the bird's bill and eyes, she studies the creature and assesses his overall condition.

The video from the Fort Jackson wildlife rehabilitation center in Buras, La., tells an affecting story of the ecological disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico.

Miller is part of the Oil Spill Response Team from Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research near Newark. The team, with 10 members in the Gulf region as of Thursday, is among more than 22,000 people who have responded after a BP offshore drilling rig exploded April 20, killing 11 and sending a gusher of crude oil -- now estimated as much as 46 million gallons -- into the Gulf. The Tri-State team was brought in to lead the wildlife recovery.

Although the bird she's treating is nearly covered with oil, Miller decides the pelican is strong enough to survive the cleaning process. The bird already has dealt with the stresses of capture, containment and human contact. Ahead is the arduous cleaning process.

But first, Miller lets the pelican rest. Later, using gloves, small cloths and cotton swabs, she leads a team of four in the nearly hour-long cleaning process that will wash and wipe off the oil. The team goes through about 300 gallons of water hot enough to make them sweat.

The pelican's color lightens gradually, his feathers regaining their normal shape, texture and separation. After final washings and rinsings produce clear water, the team gingerly moves the pelican to a nearby kiddie pool where he can rest. Soon, he eats.

This pelican is one of the lucky ones. He will survive.

More: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100604/NEWS02/6040342

[RiverStone]

1. Thanks for sharing a happy ending!

Very few happy endings in this ecological disaster so far.

Good to see the process of cleaning the oil from a pelican; it surely would have died without human intervention. Of course, it was human arrogance and recklessness (BP) that caused it.

[petersjo02]

2. Thanks for posting this

The second I heard about the explosion, I knew there would be a terrible toll on wildlife. It breaks my heart. I feel better that at least some creatures will survive, thanks to many caring and dedicated humans, and go on to live their lives.

[XemaSab]

3. One of the major tools in cleaning

is water pik tooth cleaners.

They're good for getting between the feathers.