Cleaning Oil-Slick Birds

More than just a scrub with soap is needed to save birds affected by oil spill. The deadly Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster on 22 April is spreading a huge oil slick over the Gulf of Mexico, which may soon reach land.


Oil slick at bottom right (Picture source: BBC)

Cleaning oiled birds is a complicated process, and this Popular Mechanics article describes how. One important step is when they are dried after washing; rescuers have to make sure that their feathers are all aligned, the way that birds normally do when they preen themselves, so that they can remain water proof.

More information on wildlife impact from the BBC.

(Via Arts and Letters Daily)