36 THE AUDUBON) 8 U LD Eee 
Biologist Receives Petroleum Institution Grant 
To Continue Efforts To Save Oil-Soaked Birds 
A biologist at Framingham (Mass.) State College—Philip B. Stanton 
has received a grant from the American Petroleum Institute to continue | 
research into methods of saving the lives of birds affected by oil spills. 
An expert in wildlife management and conservation, Stanton will esta 
lish a model bird-treatment center in Upton, Mass. Working on his far 
he has had considerable success in removing petroleum from waterfowl ai 
in restoring the birds to good health. 
Commenting on the grant, API President Frank N. Ikard said, “Bir 
have been the principal victims of major oil spill incidents. The API, 
companies and several agencies of the federal government are now involv 
in a number of projects aimed at preventing and controlling such mishay 
However, should a major spill occur in the future, we hope that Mr. Stanto1 
research efforts will make it possible to save the lives of birds that may 
affected.” 
The method employed by Stanton in cleaning oil-soaked birds and 1 
storing them to health has two phases. First, the petroleum is complete 
removed from the birds with a detergent chemical that accomplishes t 
task in less than three minutes. This rapid removal minimizes the stre 
upon the birds and sharply reduces the possibility that the delicate creatu1 
may suffer shock that could cause loss of appetite and death. 
Because the cleaning agent also removes a bird’s natural feather oils 
oils that enable a waterfowl to float and which insulate it from the cold 
the birds cannot be returned to their native environment immediately. 
Stanton says that a waterfowl’s natural oils are usually not replenish 
until the bird grows feathers after its next molting period—an event tk 
may not occur for up to a full year in some species. 
The second phase of the program—the phase on which much resear 
remains to be done—entails the confinement and care of wild waterfo 
under rigidly controlled conditions until their oils have been replenish 
and they are once again capable of surviving in their native surroundin:; 
Keeping wildfowl alive in captivity for extended periods is a hig 
complex undertaking. Different species must be treated differently. It 
Stanton’s goal to find the proper methods for treating the various spec! 
effectively, efficiently and economically. To find out how best to treat 
species, Stanton has been conducting his research on individual specime! 
Some of his findings have been most interesting. For example, loc 
cannot even walk on land because their legs are situated too far back. ' 
keep a loon alive at his facility, Stanton has had to carry it back and for 
from its pen to a shallow pool. Some species have proven to be too w: 
to survive even this delicate treatment, while other birds, after months 
a shelter, have had to be reintroduced to life on the water on a grad 
basis, a few minutes every day. Another problem that Stanton has had 
solve, is developing diets that will appeal to the various types of fo 
The methods of treatment is not only complex, but also expensive. 
wouldn’t even want to think about the cost per bird,” says Stanton, who h 
been paying for the project entirely out of his own pocket until he receiv 
the API grant. 
The new funds, Stanton believes, will enable him to continue his 1 
search. “I’m trying to provide some answers,” he says, “so that if any ac 
dent ocurrs, we will know what to do.” 
