Professional. Proactive. Effective.
Wildlife Response Services
Proactive wildlife response strategies are key to mounting a wildlife response that minimizes wildlife impacts and reduces overall costs.
GOALS: Generally, the best response strategy is to prevent wildlife from being impacted by the product via an effective monitoring and deterrence program. If wildlife impacts are unavoidable, proactive search and collection to quickly retrieve contaminated animals is imperative to improving success rates, while reducing costs by facilitating more efficiency throughout Wildlife Branch operations.
OBJECTIVES: Additional objectives include the provision of an organized, transparent, inclusive and fair process. Application of proven incident management and standardized wildlife care protocols are fundamental in achieving these objectives.
VARIABLES: The success of rehabilitation efforts differ based on the number of animals and numerous other variables, including: the immediacy of the response effort, the species involved, the care and facility requirements, the time of year, the contaminant type, and the extent and duration of contamination.
Wildlife response phases
Impact Assessment
Real time estimate of wildlife resource impacts
Projection of potential impact to wildlife
Determination of wildlife response recommendations and resource requirements
Wildlife Monitoring
Ongoing monitoring of wildlife resources in and around spill area to assure health and safety throughout cleanup operations
Determine ongoing and fluctuating potential resource risks should additional product be released
WILDLIFE DETERRENCE
Active and passive deterrence of non-impacted wildlife away from oiled areas into specific unimpacted areas
Species and season-specific methods utilized
Resource agency approval required
Wildlife recovery
The identification and capture of live impacted wildlife (on-water, on-land)
The removal of deceased impacted wildlife from the environment
Requires proper equipment and extensive training
Start Chain of Custody
field stabilization
Critical care of newly captured live wildlife
Triage
Short term medical stabilization in preparation for successful transfer to temporary Wildlife Center
Specialized and equipped mobile Field Stabilization Unit
transport
Safe and supportive transfer of wildlife from Field Stabilization Unit to temporary Wildlife Center
Dedicated response personnel and vehicle required
Facility development
Proactive mobilization of a temporary wildlife rehabilitation center within the general vicinity of the oil spill
Adherence to internationally accepted Minimum Standards for the Care of Oiled Wildlife
Requires highly specialized supplies and equipment
Processing
Evidence collection for product fingerprinting (feather/fur sample, carcass)
Maintenance of Chain of Custody
Photographic documentation
Individual identification
Database tracking
Specific protocols must be followed (live and dead)
Intake
Thorough physical examination of individual
Conduct initial bloodwork
Develop treatment plan
Triage
Stabilization
Fluid, nutrition and medical stabilization of impacted wildlife
Regular bloodwork to assess condition of individual
Adequately prepare animals for cleaning process (must pass standardized health parameters to progress to wash)
Significant facility thermal support and air scrubbing required
cleaning
Removal of oil/contaminants from impacted animals by specialized wash
Removal of cleaning agent by specialized rinse
Drying clean wildlife
Large water volume and high water pressure required
conditioning
Provide ongoing supportive care, necessary medical treatments
Provide access to safe and suitable captive habitat
Restore waterproofing and physical heath in preparation for successful release
Perform regular bloodwork to monitor condition of individuals
Release
Identification of clean, appropriate release site
Seasonal and migration considerations
Banding/tagging individuals
Return clean, healthy wildlife back to the environment (must pass standardized health parameter to progress to release)
