PETROLEUM INDUSTRY'S ROLE IN MARINE BIRD CONSERVATION 



253 



after the 1971 San Francisco spill. One bird 

 was picked up a year later near Treasure Is- 

 land, California, and the second after almost 2 

 years, in the State of Washington (Fletcher 

 1973). 



Survival rates have zoomed with recent 

 strides in cleaning technology and husbandry. 

 The International Bird Rescue Research Cen- 

 ter reported a survival rate of 41%, based on 

 hundreds of birds and about 20 different 

 species over a 2-year period (Smith 1975). In 

 South Africa, where powdered clay was used 

 as a cleaning agent on jackass penguins, 

 nearly 50% survived, although exact percent- 

 ages have not been published (Edwards 1963; 

 Holmes 1973). Rapid retrieval, the relatively 

 small groups of birds treated, and expert 

 cleaning and husbandry techniques are 

 largely responsible for high success ratios. Re- 

 habilitation success is measured not only in 

 terms of percent survival but also in terms of 

 median length of captivity and average cost 

 per bird. 



Rescued oiled birds arrive at cleaning cen- 

 ters under a wide range of physical conditions. 

 Before capture they may nave spent hours or 

 days- in water, during which their energy has 

 been continuously drained. The oil destroys 

 the bird's protective insulation, and metabolic 

 rate must be increased to sustain body tem- 

 perature. Constant preening also takes 

 energy. Food demands increase, but feeding 

 attempts, especially for diving birds, are 

 thwarted by oil-fouled plumage. A bird may 

 arrive at the cleaning center under stress, 

 chilled, exhausted, dehydrated, starved, and 

 ill from ingested oil. Cold weather accentuates 

 these conditions. Often such birds are jam- 

 med together with other species, hauled long 

 distances, and immediately put through a 

 series of cleaning processes that would leave 

 even a healthy bird weak and in a state of 

 shock. One marvels at the stamina of the 

 survivors. 



In most past spills, every bird found was 

 routinely cleaned regardless of its condition. 

 Instead of attempting to reclaim all birds, a 

 selective judgment should be made. If a bird's 

 physical condition makes its chances of sur- 

 vival nearly impossible, it should be humanely 

 killed (except for rare or endangered species). 

 This would enable workers to devote more 

 time and care to birds having a reasonable 

 chance at survival. 



Fletcher (1973) stated that many variables 

 affect bird survival: weather conditions, the 

 type and amount of oil in and on the bird, the 

 species, the distance of the spill from the 

 shore, the time lag from initial fouling until 

 initial treatment, the degree of stress a bird is 

 subjected to, the husbandry techniques used, 

 the time of release (the sooner released, the 

 higher the apparent survival), the number of 

 birds being cared for (the fewer birds being 

 handled, the higher the survival rate), the 

 quality of the facilities available, and the 

 training and experience of the people handling 

 the birds. 



Many of the above biological problems are 

 under study here and in Europe, including the 

 following. 



The effect of ingested oil on the mucosal 

 transport mechanism of marine birds. To use 

 seawater, birds must be able to transport 

 sodium ions through the gut and expel the ex- 

 cess salt through the nasal passages. Oil can 

 block the mucosal ion transport mechanism, 

 resulting in dehydration and eventual death. 



The development of a successful program 

 of hormonal and electrolyte therapy to restore 

 osmotic balance and the functioning of the 

 salt glands in contaminated seabirds. 



Treatment and prevention of aspergillosis 

 (fungus infection); septic arthritis or "bumble- 

 foot" (joint capsule infections); breast sores 

 (especially in seabirds confined on hard sur- 

 faces); eye lesions (caused by ammonia fumes 

 from unsanitary pens); dehydration and hypo- 

 glycemia; lipid pneumonia; and bacterial 

 infections. 



Treatment of stress after capture, includ- 

 ing perfection of handling and cleaning tech- 

 niques, administration of proper steroids, 

 crowding, light, temperature, noise levels, and 

 soon. 



Development of proper nutritional re- 

 gimes for certain species and feeding tech- 

 niques to eliminate forced feeding. 



The establishment of criteria for confident 

 recognition of terminal pathological condi- 

 tions in oiled birds. 



Determination of optimum density of con- 

 fined birds to insure healthy conditions and 

 adequate room for preening. 



Determination of proper time and condi- 

 tions for reintroduction of the birds into their 

 native habitat. 



