Oil spills can make wildlife and plants sick and even die. But people can sometimes help nature in an oil spill. Some people are wildlife rescuers. They go to a special class to learn how to clean oil from animals.

If you see an animal that looks like it is in trouble, contact a wildlife rescuer. If you touch the animal, you can get hurt or even hurt the animal. If you live in the Gulf of Mexico, and you see wildlife in trouble, the main Gulf oil spill rescue hotline is 1-866-557-1401.

How do wildlife rescuers help nature in an oil spill?

Sea Turtles

There are five kinds of sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, and they are all endangered or threatened species. Oil hurts sea turtles because:

• Sea turtles eat oil blobs, which they think are jellyfish, one of their favorite snacks.
• Baby sea turtles find it hard to swim through the oil.
• Oil damages sea grass, which one kind of sea turtle eats.
  

Wildlife rescuers bring the turtles to a rehabilitation center. They warm the turtles, clean them, and feed them healthy things so all the oil comes out of their stomachs. Later, when the sea turtles are strong again, they release the turtles in a safe place.

Birds

In the Gulf of Mexico, some birds live at sea and some wade in shallow waters in nearby wetlands.  Oil hurts birds because:

• It gets in their throats and stomachs.
• It gets on their wings so their feathers are no longer waterproof, and they get cold.

Most birds don't survive oil damage. But wildlife rescuers can help some of these birds recover by first feeding them something so their stomachs get better. Once the birds are warmed up and calm, the volunteers can clean and care for them until they can be released back into the wild.

Learn more about how the oil is removed from birds at the International Bird Rescue Center.

Marine Mammals

Many dolphins and other marine mammals (perhaps even sperm whales) will be affected by the oil in the Gulf of Mexico because:

• When they come to the ocean's surface to breathe air, they can breathe in oil fumes.
• The fish they eat may contain oil.

Rescuing large marine mammals is difficult; wildlife rescuers help smaller marine mammals by cleaning them and keeping them in a safe place until they can be released back to the wild.

 

Wildlife Rescue Organizations:

• The Oiled Wildlife Care Network 
• Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research National Response Center
• International Bird Rescue Research Center
• Gulf Coast Wildlife Rescue
• Save Our Seabirds
• The Gulf Coast Turtle and Tortoise Society
• The Louisiana Wildlife Rehabilitators Association

 

Books About Oils Spills and Wetlands

We recommend these books if you would like more information about oil spills and wetlands:

Oil Spill! (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science)
Written by Melvin Berger
Illustrated by Paul Mirocha
(Collins, 1994)
This book provides an overview of oil spills, including their causes, the damage that results, and strategies for dealing with them. It ends with some suggestions about ways to help prevent oil spills, from conserving energy at home to writing letters to Congress.

Prince William
Written by Gloria Rand
Illustrated by Ted Rand
(Henry Holt & Co, 1994)
This is the tale of a girl who finds an oil-covered seal after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. She follows the seal’s recovery as volunteers take care of him at the animal rescue center. Although the story is fictional, it shows how people come together to repair the damage after a disaster and make a difference in the lives of individual animals.

A Day in the Salt Marsh
Written by Kevin Kurtz
Illustrated by Consie Powell
(Sylvan Dell, 2007)
The Gulf oil spill threatens the coastal wetlands, including salt marshes, that line the Gulf and provide many important benefits to people and wildlife. This book introduces the salt marsh habitat and the essential role this ecosystem plays. Rhyming text describes the plants and animals that live in the marsh and the changes that take place as the tide rises and falls throughout the day.

About Habitats: Wetlands
Written by Cathryn Sill
Illustrated by John Sill
(Peachtree, 2008)
Detailed full-page paintings show the different types of wetland habitats, including coastal wetlands. This book offers an up-close view of what a wetland is, what kinds of things live there, and how wetlands help keep nature in balance.

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