Oil spill: 11-3-97

A spill of a mysterious oily substance in Monterey Bay during the weekend of October 25 injured hundreds of grebes, loons, and other seabirds. The spill triggered a rescue effort based at the Department of Fish and Game’s new Oiled Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, next to UCSC’s Long Marine Lab. Veterinarians, wildlife biologists, and scores of volunteers from Long Marine Lab and the community helped clean the substance from the birds with a diluted solution of Dawn dishwashing liquid. The strange "goo," later identified as something resembling vegetable oil, was not toxic to the animals. However, it coated their feathers, leaving them vulnerable to hypothermia.

Here, Mark Russell (left) of the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Berkeley injected a nutritive concoction into the stomach of one of the birds, held by an unidentified volunteer. After stabilizing the birds at the center, researchers hope to release them back into Monterey Bay this week. Only a few of the more than 400 birds died during the first few days of the rescue operation.

David Jessup (left), director of the Oiled Wildlife Center and veterinarian with the state’s Office of Oil Spill Prevention and Response, addressed reporters at a news conference on October 27. Jessup noted that loons and grebes are among the most difficult birds to care for in captivity, as they cannot stand and must float in water within about two days of being treated. Most of the birds also came to the center in a weakened state because of their lengthy migrations.

Jessup credited the dedicated work of volunteers from throughout the Monterey Bay Area with the success of the rescue operation. Prospective volunteers for the conclusion of this rescue effort, and for future events at the Oiled Wildlife Center, may call 1-888-228-4544.

Incident commander David Fox of the California Department of Fish and Game displayed a vial of the "mystery goo" collected from Monterey Bay. An investigation into the cause of the spill is under way, Fox said. Those responsible may be prosecuted under federal and state laws. Anyone with information on the spill may call the department’s toll-free pollution tip line at 1-888-DFG-CALTIP.