Among the species most affected by oil disasters are birds: oil entangles their feathers, preventing the animal from flying, floating and reducing its thermal insulation capacity. Furthermore, by instinct, birds try to clean the plumage with their beak, ingesting the oil and poisoning their organism. Unfortunately, without human intervention, animals are destined to die.
If you live in the vicinity of an oil disaster and decide to participate in relief efforts, then this article is for you.
Steps
Step 1. Join a professional rescue team
Cleaning oil-contaminated birds requires proper preparation.
Learn the correct procedures by working as a volunteer for a rescue association. Washing is potentially fatal for the animal, so you must be aware of the appropriate procedures so as not to stress it excessively
Step 2. Identify the contaminated animals
Contaminated birds are easily spotted because they will be covered in the sticky black liquid and, if they still have energy, they will try to clean the oil with their beak.
Contaminated birds constantly lick themselves in an attempt to clean themselves, to the point of forgetting to drink and eat. As a result, they will look dehydrated and emaciated
Step 3. Avoid taking the animal alone
Oil is a very toxic substance both for you and for the animal. Furthermore, the bird will be very agitated. Only people with the right training in dealing with dangerous substances and wild animals should take contaminated animals to take them to specialized cleaning facilities.
Step 4. Calm the bird before washing it
The animal will already be very agitated by the incident and the human presence is an additional source of stress for him.
Agitated animals must receive specific care from a veterinarian for at least 48 hours before washing
Step 5. Get ready to wash the bird
Before starting, the veterinarian must establish whether the animal is able to withstand the cleaning process (it must therefore have received the appropriate medical care, showing weight gain and optimal blood values, and must behave normally).
- Wear suitable clothes. During the cleaning you will get very wet and you could even get hurt due to the sudden movements of the bird. In addition, you must protect both yourself and the animal from any contamination. Wear very long latex or rubber gloves, an apron / gown, and waterproof boots. If you have long hair, put it in a ponytail and also wear a hat to protect your head from splashes of water and oil.
- Work in pairs (minimum). Throughout the process, regularly check the state of the bird. If he shows signs of stress, or if he appears exhausted, the vet may decide to stop washing.
- Use a mild liquid dish detergent. In a large tub, mix 1% of detergent with hot water. The heat should stabilize the bird's internal temperature (the average body temperature in birds is between 39.5ºC and 40.5ºC).
Step 6. Immerse the bird in the tub
Since there will be two of you, one person will have the task of gently holding the bird in the tub.
Step 7. Shake the water on the bird's feathers
The second person will take care of the cleaning.
- To clean your head, use Waterpik®, a dental water jet, or a spray bottle containing a solution of water and dish detergent.
- Use a very soft toothbrush and cotton swabs to gently remove dry oil from the eye and head area.
Step 8. When the tub water becomes dirty, move the bird to a clean tub filled with water and detergent
Keep in mind that you will have to move the animal from tank to tank several times (on average 10-15), therefore, the presence of a third person to help can be very useful. The washing must be completed in one stroke to stress the animal as little as possible.
The bird can be considered clean when the water in the tub is clear
Step 9. Rinse the bird
The detergent has the drawback of removing the waterproof characteristics of the bird's feathers which, for this reason, must be rinsed carefully. The rinsing procedures are performed through specific water outlets. This procedure is usually performed by people who specialize in rinsing, so if you want to take care of this aspect as well, you will need to receive adequate preparation.
Step 10. Dry the bird
- Place the animal in a bird cage with a mesh bottom.
- Use a hair dryer specifically for drying birds. The traditional hair dryer emits air that is too hot, which could burn the animal's skin.
- The bird will start cleaning its feathers with its beak. This will help him rearrange the plumage and restore its waterproof characteristics.
Step 11. Feed and drink the bird
Continue to monitor the animal's recovery process.
The veterinarian or a qualified volunteer of the team may decide to use a tube to feed the animal. If you wish to follow this phase as well, you will need the right preparation and know what foods, vitamins and medicines you need
Step 12. Check the waterproofing
To do this, place the animal in a special heated pool and check:
- If the animal licks its feathers with its beak.
- His ability to swim and float.
- His reflexes and his coordination in movements.
- In the days following the treatment, make sure there are no wet spots under the feathers; in this case it will be necessary to further clean the bird.
Advice
- The survival rate of birds returning to their natural habitat after washing depends on the intensity of the oil disaster, the effectiveness of the cleaning process, the type of species and the safety or suitability of the new environmental conditions.
- After a thorough and successful cleaning, the animal will gradually be placed in a fresh water pool to understand whether or not it is ready to return to its natural environment. Only highly qualified people are able to judge this factor.
- Veterinarians often decide to administer a specific antidote (ToxiBan) that promotes the secretion of oil from the body.
Warnings
- Remember that contact with contaminated birds and the inhalation of oil are harmful to your health. In fact, oil contains poisonous toxins. Be extremely careful what you breathe or touch especially if you work near the disaster site where plasticisers have been used.
- For a bird the size of a pelican, approximately 1,100 liters of water are needed for complete cleaning. If you live in a very arid area, the rescue team may need special exemptions or request other water sources.
- Cleaning up birds affected by disasters of this caliber is a very strenuous job both physically and emotionally. Unfortunately, euthanasia is practiced for birds not considered suitable for the cleaning process. In addition, it is necessary to wait for some time (up to five days) to determine if the animal is suitable for the washing process. So prepare yourself both physically and psychologically for the challenge that awaits you.
- Almost all contaminated birds that try to clean up their feathers with their beak die as a result of ingesting the toxic substances contained in the oil or because they are more vulnerable to other threats, such as predators or lack of food.
