IFAW Incident News Podcast - Cosco Busan oil spill
The International Fund for Animal Welfare's Barbara Callahan filed this blog and podcast report on the recent spill in California...she is helping to direct rescue and rehabilitation efforts...she urges people who may find oiled birds or who want to volunteer to visit the ibrrc.org website for proper contact numbers...in no instance should oiled birds be handled by untrained personnel.
Just wanted to give everyone an update on the Cosco Busan oil spill in the San Francisco Bay. As you may know, the Cosco Busan spilled 58,000 gallons of intermediate fuel oil under the Bay Bridge on November 7.
This is the largest spill in California in decades - the most recent significant spill was the Cape Mohican in 1996, spilling 40,000 gallons. The largest spill in area waters happened in 1984 when the Puerto Rican, spilled 1.5 million gallons of oil in the open ocean off the Golden Gate in 1984. In contrast the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska spilled 11 million gallons of oil. Some members of the IBRRC response team spent six months helping save wildlife in that spill.
The oil spilled from the Cosco Busan (a Hanjin owned cargo ship - Korean) has fouled over 40 miles of coastline and so far the State of California has closed 16 beaches. The spill has impacted prime habitat for large groups of wintering birds, including primarily scoter, grebe and gull species. This early in the spill, it is difficult to estimate the impact on wildlife but we are preparing for a significantly larger number of oiled birds.
As part of the California Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), Int'l Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) has been fully activated and are fielding teams for search and collection, transportation and rehabilitation of oiled birds. Oiled wildlife is being taken to the San Francisco Bay Oiled Wildlife Care and Education Center (IBRRC Headquarters in Fairfield) and at this time, there are approximately 80 oiled birds in care.
The State of California has activated resources from many groups including, OWCN, IBRRC, CA Office of Oil Spill Prevention and Response, State Parks and many other Network participants. For the latest information please check the IBRRC website at: www.ibrrc.org.
Download ifaw_incident_news_podcast_11_9_07.mp3
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I've made a poll asking people who should get punished for this disaster. please vote:
http://pollsb.com/polls/poll/3697/what-should-happen-to-the-company-in-charge-of-the-california-oil-spill
Posted by: jellydonot | November 11, 2007 at 09:08 AM