The magnificent brown pelican stood on the shore, wings wide open, displaying its 6-foot wing span. Every inch of the big bird's body was covered with thick brown sludge from BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The photograph of that bird ran in the Post-Gazette and many other newspapers. It was part of the endless array of horrifying images from this ecological disaster. We've seen the grieving relatives of 11 oil rig workers killed in the initial April 20 blast, out-of-work fishermen picking up tar balls from spoiled beaches, and the iconic "live!" footage of continuously gushing oil, many thousands of feet under the sea.
The fate of sea birds (including gulls, terns, cranes and herons) may not be the biggest tragedy. But for me, brown pelicans have become the "face" of the Gulf oil spill.
A total of 1,150 "oiled birds" had been collected by June 18 -- 885 of them dead, and 665 alive -- according to the National Audubon Society. Forty-two of the survivors have been released. More oiled birds are collected every day. They're washed with Dawn detergent, the de-greaser of choice for trained wildlife rehabilitators who clean up messes created by others.
"Wildlife do not perceive oil as a threat" and so they dive into oil-soaked water, said Dave Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation. "All pelicans know is that when they dive into the ocean for fish, they come out covered in oil."
Mr. Mizejewski has made several trips to the Gulf rehab centers to lend support and expertise. Oil hurts pelicans and other birds in a variety of ways, he said. They can get chemical burns to their skin, the structure of their feathers can be destroyed and fumes can cause respiratory problems. When soaked in oil, they can't fly, so they can't soar over the water and dive for the fish that they eat.
Birds constantly groom or "preen" their feathers. Swallowing the oil they preen from their feathers can kill them.
"The washing process is traumatic for the birds," Mr. Mizejewski said, and some may die of stress. "And after you wash and release them, what are they going to eat?"
The oil spill is damaging habitat and food sources in the Gulf of Mexico, along the shore and in the wetlands of Louisiana of other Gulf states.
What can animal lovers do to help brown pelicans and other oiled birds? Surprisingly, we can't directly help them, not with cash and not with hands-on help. BP is paying for wildlife rescue and clean-up, as well it should.
Leading the hands-on bird-washing is a Delaware-based organization, Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research, with an assist from a West Coast organization, International Bird Rescue Research Center. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services manages and oversees the rehab work.
Unauthorized people can't just show up and help. It's hazardous work, and special training and equipment are needed. Untrained volunteers also could damage the eggs and nests of birds and turtles.
Many animal and environmental groups are helping, including the National Audubon Society and National Wildlife Federation. Donations to any of these organizations will help brown pelicans and other Gulf coast wildlife. Both groups have worked in the Gulf for decades, and they say they'll be there after the headlines and reporters go away.
"Audubon is inspired by the 26,000 people who have contacted us to help" in the Gulf spill, said Delta Willis, senior communications manager.
Hundreds of Audubon volunteers have helped transfer oiled birds from boats to vehicles. They've prepared food for rescued birds. They've helped with government paperwork.
Volunteers with Audubon and NWF are being trained to do beach surveys to spot and report wildlife that needs help. Both groups are spending a lot of time dealing with media, and NWF has chartered boats to take reporters on tours. The Tri-State group did not return phone calls this week. Presumably its personnel is too busy taking care of brown pelicans and other wildlife, and that would be the best use of their time.
The Audubon and NWF have always spent a lot of time and effort lobbying for legislation that would help the environment. They'll continue to do so, with a special push for laws and policies that would avert future disasters like the BP spill.
And there's a way we can help without spending money: Contact your elected officials, especially U.S. representatives and senators, and tell them to support laws and regulations that would help the animals and the environment.
Do your homework. Check out websites to see what kind of legislation is being proposed. Here are some websites to get you started:
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www.tristatebird.org•
www.audubon.org•
www.nwf.org
