Birds Rescued From Second Oil Spill

While oil, courtesy of BP, continues to relentlessly spew into the Gulf, impacting numerous water birds including gulls, a similar drama occurred in Utah. That's right — in Utah, where the California gull is the state bird.  Although the state bird was not impacted, other birds were.

Evidently, oil started leaking into Red Butte Creek in Salt Lake on June 11. The spill was not discovered until June 12. It was estimated by Chevron and government agencies that 33,000 gallons of oil spilled into the creek and spread to the lake in Liberty Park. The oil continued on to the Jordan River and, of course, the Great Salt Lake.

Animals in and around the slick's path needed rescue, including both wild and domestic birds. Because wildlife falls under the purview of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, the contaminated wild geese and other birds were covered. But what about the domesticated ducks and geese? Who would help them? That's when Salt Lake County Animal Services mobilized.

Workers consulted with experts doing animal decontamination in the Gulf. A hazardous materials tent was set up with washtubs for lathering and rinsing. Two workers were needed to treat each bird because, let's face it, most ducks and geese don't like folks handling them. Some birds had to be washed numerous times, first treated with vegetable oil and then scrubbed in a warm bath with Dawn dishwashing liquid.

All in all,  55 ducks and geese were housed at Salt Lake County Animal Services until they could be returned to an oil-free habitat. Thirteen are still there waiting to get enough natural oil in their feathers to float. Oh, the irony.

Salt Lake County was able to rescue the birds, victims of our seemingly ceaseless dependence on oil. But, in the 1800s, it was the birds that rescued Salt Lake, when a flock of seagulls saved the crops of Mormon pioneers from a huge swarm of crickets. In fact, there is a Seagull Monument sitting in front of the Salt Lake Assembly Hall on Temple Square to honor the birds' life-saving "miracle." It's only fitting that Salt Lake repaid the favor.

Photo Credit: Ed Bierman