Science Institute Newshttps://wildlife.ca.gov/Science-Institute/NewsScience Spotlight: Oiled Wildlife Experts Make the Case for Rescue and Release Over Euthanasiahttps://wildlife.ca.gov/Science-Institute/News/science-spotlight-oiled-wildlife-experts-make-the-case-for-rescue-and-release-over-euthanasia1GeneralWed, 29 Aug 2018 15:42:07 GMTScientists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and University of California, Davis have published an opinion essay that advocates rehabilitation and release, rather than euthanization, of animals injured by oil spills.<p style="float: right; margin-left: 15px; clear: right; width: 260px;"><img alt="Person holding large net with oiled duck on boat" src="/Portals/0/Images/Science_institute/oil11.jpg" style="border: 6px solid #eeeeee; border-radius: 5px;" /><br /> <strong>Staff and volunteers of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, managed by UC Davis, capture oiled wildlife using nets.</strong><br /> <br /> <img alt="Laboratory with table covered in blue towel with oiled bird wrapped in towel held by man wearing white coveralls, white hat, glasses, and purple gloves. Woman also standing with mask, white coveralls, blue gloves, holding a clipboard and pen." src="/Portals/0/Images/Science_institute/oil22.jpg" style="border: 6px solid #eeeeee; border-radius: 5px;" /><br /> <strong>Staff of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network examine a bird collected from the Nov 7 2007 oil spill in San Francisco Bay.</strong><br /> <br /> <img alt="Close up of person wearing purple gloves holding oiled cormorant with one hand on head and other hand on beak" src="/Portals/0/Images/Science_institute/oil33.jpg" style="border: 6px solid #eeeeee; border-radius: 5px;" /><br /> <strong>Staff and volunteers of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network wash oil from a bird.</strong><br /> <br /> <img alt="Young boy in yellow boots, black pants, red and gray jacket and man wearing blue jeans, blue jacket and glasses holding blue box tipped out toward water with bird looking out from box." src="/Portals/0/Images/Science_institute/oil44.jpg" style="border: 6px solid #eeeeee; border-radius: 5px;" /><br /> <strong>Staff and volunteers release rehabilitated wildlife.</strong><br />  </p> <p>Scientists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and University of California, Davis have published an opinion essay that advocates rehabilitation and release, rather than euthanization, of animals injured by oil spills. The essay, entitled “Life and Death: How Should We Respond to Oiled Wildlife?” can be found in the June 2018 issue of the <em>Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management</em>.</p> <p>CDFW Environmental Scientist Laird Henkel and Dr. Michael Ziccardi, director of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, argue that a coordinated effort to attempt rehabilitation of oiled wildlife is warranted on scientific, financial and ethical grounds.</p> <p>Efforts to clean birds and mammals oiled by spills are not only publicly expected in California, but also mandated by laws enacted in the early 1990s. However, some critics have argued that rehabilitation is a waste of resources and that the most responsible action is to immediately euthanize impacted animals.</p> <p>In their paper, Henkel and Ziccardi cite scientific studies that show oiled animals often survive just as well as non-oiled control animals, and that euthanasia should only be considered for animals unlikely to return to normal function after rehabilitation.</p> <p>The scientists assert that the costs for wildlife rehabilitation are typically a very small portion of overall oil spill response costs. Costs are also typically independent of post-spill funds secured to restore impacted natural resources — the cost of cleaning wildlife does not reduce the post-spill restoration work.</p> <p>From an ethical standpoint, Henkel and Ziccardi note that some people consider individual animals to have intrinsic value, and that as consumers of petroleum products, we have an obligation to reduce suffering and mitigate injuries from spills associated with the production, distribution, and use of petroleum products.</p> <p>The scientists cite public safety and legal issues as additional rationale for rehabilitation. They contend that members of the public, untrained to care for animals, will attempt to help oiled animals on their own if professional organizations do not. They further assert that legislation protecting the environment is often catalyzed by public outrage over seeing oiled wildlife.</p> <p>The essay can be found online at the <a href="http://www.fwspubs.org/doi/full/10.3996/062017-JFWM-054?code=ufws-site" target="_blank"><img alt="link opens in new window" src="/portals/0/Images/Shared/new-window-icon.gif" /><em>Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management</em> website</a>.</p> <p>For more information on oiled wildlife rehabilitation in California, visit the <a href="http://www.owcn.org/" target="_blank"><img alt="link opens in new window" src="/portals/0/Images/Shared/new-window-icon.gif" />Oiled Wildlife Care Network</a>, or <a href="https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/ospr">CDFW’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response</a>.</p> <p><strong>All photos courtesy of University of California, Davis. Cover: </strong>One of many oiled ducks being soaped and treated.</p> OSPR Inland Drillhttps://wildlife.ca.gov/Science-Institute/News/ospr-inland-drill1GeneralThu, 06 Apr 2017 20:51:01 GMTAbout 10 environmental scientists from CDFW’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) participated in a large-scale oil spill drill along the Feather River on March 21. The drill was intended to help wildlife response teams prepare for a potential train derailment. OSPR has a long history of oil spill response in marine environments but recently expanded its scope statewide to include inland waters. This Feather River exercise was the first time a substantial wildlife response drill has been held inland, testing responders’ abilities to resolve many operational and technical issues presented by a river spill.<p style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 15px 15px; clear: right;"> <img src="/Portals/0/Images/Science_institute/DrillBirdIntake-AndreaMuenter-Leah%20Critchfield_1166-SIweb.jpg" alt="Two women in lab coats simulate oiled bird intake" style="margin: 2px 0px; border: 6px solid #eeeeee; border-radius: 5px;" /><br /> <img src="/Portals/0/Images/Science_institute/MobileCmndPost_FeatherRiverdrill-SIweb.jpg" alt="Three tan tents set up in campground" style="margin: 2px 0px; border: 6px solid #eeeeee; border-radius: 5px;" /> </p> <p>About 10 environmental scientists from CDFW&rsquo;s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) participated in a large-scale oil spill drill along the Feather River on March 21. The drill was intended to help wildlife response teams prepare for a potential train derailment. OSPR has a long history of oil spill response in marine environments but recently expanded its scope statewide to include inland waters. This Feather River exercise was the first time a substantial wildlife response drill has been held inland, testing responders&rsquo; abilities to resolve many operational and technical issues presented by a river spill.</p> <p>Whereas marine spills typically require rescue of seabirds and occasionally marine mammals, the kinds of animals potentially affected by inland spills are quite different and varied, potentially including raptors, songbirds, reptiles, amphibians, rodents, foxes, and other mammals. The need to capture and care for these species during an oil spill presents unique challenges for scientist responders. The goal is to have the necessary protocols in place and practiced.</p> <p>The drill was put on by the California Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), an organization funded by OSPR and managed by the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to provide best achievable care of oiled wildlife. The OWCN currently maintains a network of 40 wildlife rehabilitation organizations, trained and ready to respond to oil spills anywhere in the state. Sixteen of these organizations participated in Tuesday&rsquo;s drill, including two local organizations, Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation and North Valley Animal Disaster Group.</p> <p>In addition to practicing wildlife response activities, the drill provided the opportunity to test a new Geographic Response Plan (GRP) for the Feather River. GRPs identify the location and nature of resources at risk in the event of a spill, and outline appropriate tactical response strategies to minimize oiling and other injury. During a real spill, OSPR environmental scientists serve as subject-matter experts who help ensure that the GRP is implemented appropriately. A simulated situation like this one gives them a valuable opportunity to conduct a realistic &lsquo;dry run,&rsquo; as well as to analyze elements of the GRP and make adjustments as necessary.</p> <p>To learn more about OSPR, visit <a href="/OSPR">www.wildlife.ca.gov/OSPR</a>.</p>