How can I help oiled wildlife?

Volunteers who have training handling oiled wildlife can contact Julie Bartley at Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research at 302-737-9543, ext. 102. Please do not use this number to report oiled wildlife.

Support local wildlife rescue and rehabilitation agencies:

Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Inc., a private, nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organization located in Newark, Delaware, is working to clean and rehabilitate oiled wildlife at their Frink Wildlife Clinic. Tri-State reports that over 100 birds and two turtles currently are undergoing treatment. Species include Canada geese, mallard and bufflehead ducks, and ring-billed and herring gulls. Treatment for the animals includes stabilization, washing, and a minimum recuperation period of several weeks.

Tri-State has received numerous inquiries from individuals in the community wishing to volunteer to help care for the oiled birds. At the present time, only those volunteers who have been trained in emergency oil spill rescue can be accommodated. However, once the crisis phase is over, there may be a call for additional volunteers to help with the daily care of the birds as they recuperate. Members of the community can immediately assist in the care of the oiled birds by donating sheets, towels, Ensure (plain vanilla), and Pedialyte. For information on volunteer training and additional ways to support Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Inc., click here.

The MERR Institute in Delaware is prepared to respond to marine mammal and sea turtle strandings associated with the oil spill. See http://www.merrinstitute.org/. Call 302-228-5029 for marine mammal or sea turtle sitings.

Follow public advisories

On December 1, the States of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey, working in concert with the federal response agencies, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a cautionary advisory to waterfowl hunters and anglers to refrain from hunting and boating the Delaware River and tributaries south of the Tacony- Palmyra Bridge until further notice to protect waterfowl resources from potential oiling as a result of the oil spill.

In New Jersey, hunters are asked to refrain from hunting in the area from the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge east on Route 74 to the junction with the New Jersey Turnpike. South on the NJ Turnpike to the junction with Route 322. East on Route 322 to Route 45. South on Route 45 to Route 581. South on Route 581 to Route 49. East on Route 49 to Route 654. Route 654 west to Route 651. Route 651 to Route 623. Left on Route 623 to Route 658. Right on Route 658 straight onto Alloway Creek Neck Road to the Salem Nuclear Power Plant.

On December 8, the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife lifted their waterfowl hunting and fishing advisory and opened all public wildlife areas for waterfowl hunting today. Clean-up and monitoring efforts indicate that oil contamination to birds and wetland mammals has been minimized. Hunters should continue to be on the lookout for oiled birds and report all observations to 215-365-1558.